Tag: deception

Night Witches and Chasing Evil

Book Review of “The Huntress” by Kate Quinn. By the beginning of 1950, the efforts to find Nazi war criminals and bring them to justice for their horrendous and unthinkable crimes was already on the wane, except for the biggest of fish. Still, some Nazi hunters couldn’t let go of finding any of these criminals, … Continue reading Night Witches and Chasing Evil →

The Tint and the Taint

Book Review of “The Blue” by Nancy Bilyeau. In the author’s notes of this book, Bilyeau calls this “a spy story set amid the rivalry of eighteenth-century porcelain factories,” in which the author tells the story of Geneviève Planché, who becomes entangled in the intrigue behind discovering a new shade of blue that is also … Continue reading The Tint and the Taint →

Cinderella or Pygmalion?

Book Review of "Carnegie’s Maid" by Marie Benedict Clara Kelly was not who everyone thought she was, and this accident of mistaken identity lands her the position of lady’s maid in one of the wealthiest homes in all Pittsburgh, that of the Carnegie family. If Clara is to help her family back in Ireland, then … Continue reading Cinderella or Pygmalion? →

Looking for the next Agatha Christie

Book Review of "Cocaine Blues" by Kerry Greenwood. When the wealthy Phryne Fisher decided to quit London, it wasn't because the season had ended - to the contrary! No, Phryne left to set sail for Melbourne to investigate the mysterious illnesses of Lydia, whose father was suspicious that her husband might be poisoning her to … Continue reading Looking for the next Agatha Christie →

Truth and Politics

Book Review of "The Death of an Owl by Paul Torday. According to the forward (written by the late Torday's son Piers), this book is "about a man who couldn't help but tell the truth, and how that played out when he gets involved in a scandal involving a politician who runs over an owl … Continue reading Truth and Politics →

Counting on Family

Book Review of "Sisters One, Two, Three" by Nancy Star. Ginger's 13th year was as unlucky as the number. Many years after that tragic summer, it seems no one has been able to fix anything broken back then. Furthermore, there's her deteriorating relationship with her daughter Julia, and her mother Glory is no less strange … Continue reading Counting on Family →

Eling for Healing

Book Review of "The Last Will of Moira Leahy" by Therese Walsh. Almost a decade after a tragic accident, Maeve Leahy is still trying to come to terms with what happened between her and her identical twin sister, Moira. When a Javanese knife, called a Kris, comes into Maeve's life, its mystery and magic bring … Continue reading Eling for Healing →

Progress per traditionem.

Book Review of "Different Class" by Joanne Harris. Much to the chagrin and worry of the aging Latin Master, Mr. Straightly, John Harrington is back at St. Oswald's, but this time he's not a student; he's the new Head. Harrington has some ideas of how he wants to bring St. Oswald's into the 21st century, … Continue reading Progress per traditionem. →

Capturing the Fear

Book review for "The Fox was Ever the Hunter" by Herta Müller. Every so often, you come across a reviewer who pans a novel by saying, "nothing happens" in the book. This is exactly one of those types of novels, and I'm sure we'll see many reviews to this effect. The problem is, this is … Continue reading Capturing the Fear →

Landscapes of Deception

Book Review for "The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith. In reality, none of Sarah van Baalbergen's works survived, but Dominic Smith decided to turn the few known facts about her into fiction by renaming her as Sara de Vos and resurrecting her work. Starting out in 17th Century Holland, Smith shows … Continue reading Landscapes of Deception →