Three Girls from Bronzeville by Dawn Turner

THREE GIRLS FROM BRONZEVILLE by Dawn Turner is subtitled “A Uniquely American Memoir of Race, Fate, and Sisterhood.” Turner is an award-winning former reporter and commentator for The Chicago Tribune and other media outlets. This memoir tells her story of growing up on the South Side in 1970s Chicago with her younger sister, Kim, and her best friend, Debra.  As these girls become women their lives diverge – one becomes pregnant when still a teenager; another starts using drugs and is eventually accused of murder. Over the decades, the neighborhood also shifts and so Turner provides insight on class, racism, and opportunity in a thoroughly engaging manner. Did you know, for example, that these people also lived in Bronzeville at some point: Ida B. Wells, Louis Armstrong, Richard Wright, and Gwendolyn Brooks? This text is filled with vivid descriptions and multiple generations of strong women. I wish that I could write as well as Turner – THREE GIRLS FROM BRONZEVILLE received starred reviews from Booklist (recommended for teen readers, too), Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. This title could join literature circles featuring The Other Wes Moore and The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Pearce. The Washington Post review is here. 

UPDATE: part of Wilmette Public Library's One Book: Everyone Reads Program; meet the author (virtually) on May 11.

Cozy Mystery stories ...

Here are a couple of additions to popular mystery series:

GOD REST YE, ROYAL GENTLEMEN by Rhys Bowen is yet another title in the Royal Spyness series involving Lady Georgiana.  This time, she and several family members are invited to be guests near Sandringham as the Queen celebrates Christmas.  A terrific blend of 20th century history (involving European politics prior to WWII), plus upper-class manners and holiday customs, this mystery brings Lady Georgiana once again face-to-face with a murderer. Someone takes a shot at the Prince of Wales, future King Edward VIII, and several employees are also hurt or die in suspicious circumstances while on the estate.  As the holidays near, look for GOD REST YE, ROYAL GENTLEMEN if you would like reading about “a cast of charming, quirky characters … [in a] lovely English Christmas cozy” (quote from Publishers Weekly review).

CLAWS FOR ALARM by Rita Mae Brown is A Mrs. Murphy mystery – actually number 30 in the series involving a dog named Tucker, and two cats, Pewter and Mrs. Murphy. I generally enjoy spending time with their owners: Harry, former postal worker, and her husband, Fair who is the local vet in Crozet, Virginia. However, it seems like Rita Mae Brown and her “co-author” Sneaky Pie Brown are sadly running out of ideas. The dialogue and text here felt repetitive and the story itself, involving the death of a local matriarch and subsequent squabbling by her adult children, was not particularly original or inventive.  Combining the modern day happening with a mystery set far in the past generally adds confusion encouraging the reader to focus on one storyline or the other. Earlier tales in this series are more engaging and worth a look. 

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE by Richard Osman is the second Thursday Murder Club Mystery involving several pensioners who have become friends and solve crimes.  This time, it is Elizabeth’s ex-husband who turns up looking for safety after being accused of stealing 20 million English pounds worth of diamonds. Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim work with Elizabeth (formerly with MI5 or MI6) to solve the heist and some subsequent murders.  Also involved are Chris and Donna (local police), the central intelligence authorities (Sue and Lance), and various criminals involved with the mafia, drug sales, and muggings.  It’s a twisty, complicated plot with several interweaving pieces. One of the best aspects is the rather “snarky” attitude and witty comments from many of the characters: “‘When are your hunches ever wrong?’ says Ron. ‘Actually, quite often,’ says Joyce. She just says them with confidence. She’s like a consultant.’” Kirkus gave THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE a starred review: “A clever, funny mystery peopled with captivating characters that enhance the story at every quirky turn.” Also selected for the September LibraryReads list, it’s a humorous, puzzling mystery that readers will enjoy, especially if they have already sampled Osman’s earlier work simply titled The Thursday Murder Club.

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

HARLEM SHUFFLE by two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author Colson Whitehead is worth a look  - it was chosen for the September 2021 LibraryReads list and is an Amazon Best Book for the month, too. Departing from his previous works (including The Underground Railroad and The Intuitionist, both of which have been assigned for classroom reading), Whitehead has now crafted a mystery story set in 1960s Harlem. The main character is the self-made furniture retailer Ray Carney who tries to stay straight, but gets caught up in a world of heists and double-crosses. For me there were so many elements which were reminiscent of Blacktop Wasteland (which I REALLY enjoyed) that I had a harder time than expected of getting into Whitehead’s latest work.  No such difficulty for professional reviewers, though – HARLEM SHUFFLE received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. 

Fuzz by Mary Roach

FUZZ by Mary Roach, subtitled “when nature breaks the law,” is yet another entertaining work of non-fiction from the author of Stiff, Grunt and many more texts. Roach (called America’s funniest science writer) explores forensic science for animal attacks, looks at the lives of elephants, studies leopards, and generally continues to surprise readers with amusing and unusual facts about other species (bats, birds, squirrels, etc.) that frequently interact with humans. Perhaps you are wondering how to handle a hungry bear or have another question about wildlife? Roach shares numerous stories that will have you laughing and provides a helpful appendix with resources (like links to the Humane Society of the United States, PETA, and suggestions about professional help), plus a useful bibliography. Plan on smiling as you read – FUZZ received starred reviews from Booklist (“quirky angle on a timely topic [that] will go down easy with readers of all ages”), Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.