The Bubbling Beneath.

Book Review for “The Paris Deception” by Bryn Turnbull. Summary: "Sophie Dix fled Stuttgart with her brother as the Nazi regime gained power in Germany. Now, with her brother gone and her adopted home city of Paris conquered by the Reich, Sophie reluctantly accepts a position restoring damaged art at the Jeu de Paume museum … Continue reading The Bubbling Beneath. →

The Acts of Friendship.

Book Review for “Goodnight from Paris” by Jane Healey. Summary: "Paris, 1939. Hollywood actress Drue Leyton, married to Frenchman Jacques Tartière, lives as an expatriate in love. But when her husband is dispatched to Brittany to work as a liaison for the British military, Drue finds herself alone with her housekeeper, adrift and heartsick in … Continue reading The Acts of Friendship. →

Finding Nita.

Book Review for “The Direction of the Wind” by Mansi Shah. Summary: "Sophie Shah was six when she learned her mother, Nita, had died. For twenty-two years, she shouldered the burden of that loss. But when her father passes away, Sophie discovers a cache of hidden letters revealing a shattering truth: her mother didn’t die. … Continue reading Finding Nita. →

The Real Miss Moneypenny.

Book Review for “One Woman's War” by Christine Wells. Summary: "When Victoire "Paddy" Bennett first walks into the Admiralty's Room 39, home to the Intelligence Division, all the bright and lively young woman expects is a secretarial position to the charismatic Commander Ian Fleming. But soon her job is so much more, and when Fleming … Continue reading The Real Miss Moneypenny. →

#ShortStorySunday – Stitching Each Step.

Book Review for “Véronique's Journey” a Novella by Patti Flinn. Summary: "In 18th century France, the choices for a young black woman of modest means are slim. Véronique Clair loves her parents and their small home in the countryside of Burgundy but dreams of using her talent for sewing and embroidery to make her own … Continue reading #ShortStorySunday – Stitching Each Step. →

On the Prowl.

Book Review for “The Ghosts of Paris” by Tara Moss. Summary: "It's 1947. The world continues to grapple with the fallout of the Second World War, and former war reporter Billie Walker is finding her feet as an investigator. When a wealthy client hires Billie and her assistant Sam to track down her missing husband, … Continue reading On the Prowl. →

Stitched Together.

Book Review for “The Seamstress of New Orleans” by Diane C. McPhail. Summary: "The year 1900 ushers in a new century and the promise of social change, and women rise together toward equality. Yet rules and restrictions remain, especially for women like Alice Butterworth, whose husband has abruptly disappeared. Desperate to make a living for … Continue reading Stitched Together. →

Sailing Towards the Future.

Book Review for “The Next Ship Home” by Heather Webb. Summary: "Ellis Island, 1902. Francesca arrives on the shores of America, her sights set on a better life than the one she left in Italy. That same day, aspiring linguist Alma reports to her first day of work at the immigrant processing center. Ellis, though, … Continue reading Sailing Towards the Future. →

A Doubtful Family.

Book Review for “The Believers” by Zoë Heller. Summary: "When Audrey makes a devastating discovery about her husband, New York radial lawyer Joel Litvinoff, she is forced to re-examine everything she thought she knew about their forty-year marriage. Joel's children will soon have to come to terms with this unsettling secret themselves, but for the … Continue reading A Doubtful Family. →

Lady Deals the Cards.

Book Review for “A Betting Woman: A Novel of Madame Moustache” by Jenni L. Walsh. Summary: "When her whole family dies in a fire, young Simone flees her grief and travels west to reinvent herself in burgeoning San Francisco. Down to her last dollar and facing some unsavory options, Simone quick-wits her way to a … Continue reading Lady Deals the Cards. →