The Botanist's Assistant - Peggy Townsend's Latest...Get Your Copy!

The Botanist's Assistant is Peggy Townsend's latest and my first one by this author. Let me assure you that it will NOT be my last! The story centers around Margaret Finch. Margaret is a 54-year old, 6' tall, and big-boned woman. She lives by herself in a cabin in the woods and, when she's not at work, focuses her attention on her numerous plants. When she is at work, she acts as the long-time assistant to a well-known botanist in his lab. That's pretty much her whole life. She doesn't really have any friends, and that is okay with her. So what is this story about, you ask?

Well, there is a death in the department that she works in, and Margaret is determined to find out what happened. The university that they all work for is calling it death by natural causes. Margaret is not buying that. Hence Margaret turns into an amateur detective.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It's not only a mystery that I was not able to solve(!). But it's also very well-written. Let me give you just two examples of comparisons that grabbed me and made me smile:

A professor in the department thinks that he is an equal to her boss. Margaret thinks: "...that was like equating a rare Egyptian vase with kindergartner's Play-Doh bowl." And when Margaret is snooping around and suddenly has to hide, we read: "She drops to her knees and scuttles behind the sofa like a cockroach seeking shelter from a smacking broom." I think we can all visualize what the author is saying. And, believe me, there are many more descriptive clauses throughout the book.

Are you looking for a fun read that will captivate you and keep you guessing? And is Margaret Finch a character that we want to see again? The answer to both of those questions is a resounding YES!   

In the Light of the Sun, by Angela Shupe - Historical Fiction at Its Best!

Let me start off by saying that In the Light of the Sun is a terrific book. Not only is it an easy 5/5, but it’s also Shupe’s debut novel. It is quite an accomplishment!

 

This is historical fiction at its best. The book starts in 1941. Caramina Grassi is a young girl who lives in the Philippines with her father and all of her siblings, except for her older sister, Rosa, who is in Florence, studying to be an opera singer. Rosa lives with her grandmother, who was once a renowned opera singer herself. Caramina, too, hopes that one day she will also be in Italy, preparing to be an opera singer like her sister and grandmother…and then WWII hit!

 

The story delves into the hardships that Caramina, Rosa, and their family members face in their respective countries. As you would expect in a book based on a world war, the Grassis endure hardships in both countries. There is love and there are tragedies.

 

Will Rosa become an opera singer? Will Caramina get any closer to following in her sister’s footsteps? Will the family members survive? You will need to read In the Light of the Sun to get answers.  

The View from Lake Como, by Adriana Trigiani

The View from Lake Como is Adriana’s 22nd novel. And this will be my…1st read! It’s amazing that such a popular author, whose first novel came out in 2000, has escaped my reading clutches until now! Well, no more I say! I enjoyed TVfLC. It’s fiction with some romance thrown in. Here’s a brief description of the storyline:

 

Jess Capodimonte Baratta lives in Lake Como, New Jersey. She is in her early 30s and is recently divorced from the local heartthrob. She lives in the basement of her parents’ home and works for her uncle in his marble business. Despite being heavily involved in the business and with her large Italian family, she finds herself, due to unexpected circumstances, moving to the other Lake Como, this one in Italy. There she spends lots of time with more members of her family and discovers some secrets that will greatly impact her life. 

 

Will she ever go back to New Jersey? Will she find her first love interest since her divorce? Will she find herself? You will obviously learn about all of this when you read The View from Lake Como. 

The Grave Artist, by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado

Last year I reviewed Fatal Intrusion, which is Book 1 in the Sanchez & Heron Series. And I told you how much I liked the book, and why. Well, now Deaver and Maldonado have written Book 2 in the series. And it’s called The Grave Artist. It is due to hit the bookshelves on September 9. Does it fall off, as book 2’s often do? Or does it continue what the authors accomplished with Fatal Intrusion? I am VERY happy to report that it’s the latter! This one grabs us from page 1 and captivates and engrosses us through its conclusion!

 

The storyline is also very unique. There is a serial killer who targets newlyweds. He kills one and then relishes the pain and suffering of the surviving member. And, once again, federal agent Carmen Sanchez and private security expert Jake Heron are taxed with finding the killer. But there’s another little twist this time. The “Honeymoon Killer,” as he is dubbed, is coming after Carmen and Jake! What the heck? Doesn’t he know they aren’t newlyweds (or even married)?

 

Much like Book 1, the writing is terrific, and the suspense is killer (sorry for the pun). When you finish The Grave Artist, I’m sure you will ask yourself the same thing I asked myself…When do we get Book 3?! 

Kristina McMorris Does It Again!

Kristina McMorris definitely knows how to write historical fiction! Ever since I read her Sold on a Monday, I have been a big fan. Her latest, The Girls of Good Fortune, focuses on Portland, OR in the late 1800s. The story centers on a young woman who is half-Chinese and works as a maid for a prominent family. Circumstances send her to live in a bordello where she is tasked with doing odd jobs. When she learns about the massacre of Chinese miners in the Wyoming Territory, and after also learning about the death of her Chinese father, she is committed to helping bring to justice to the men that committed the massacre.

There is a lot more to this book than just what I've mentioned above. I don't want to give anything away, but...there might be a love interest; maybe an escape from a very difficult situation; and possibly...nope, that's all I am willing to tell you. With all of the twists and turns and surprises, you need to read The Girls of Good Fortune to find out what happens. And get this - Kristina will be conducting a virtual tour of the Shanghai Tunnels, where much of the action takes place, on June 10, at 4:00pst. All you have to do is pre-order her book before the pub date of May 20. I can't wait to see it!

My First Mystery from Abbi Waxman - One Death at a Time

As the title indicates, One Death at a Time is my 1st Abbi Waxman mystery. It combines a whodunit with the movie industry. You can't beat that combo! Julia Mann is a veteran ex-actress who is accused of killing a man she found in her swimming pool (she's already been in jail once before for murder!). Now she needs to clear her name and ends up partnering with her sobriety sponsor from AA, who she really wants nothing to do with. Does it all make sense?

Abbi does a very good job of of holding our interest and making sure we really don't know whodunit! She brings in a lot of characters, who all play a part in determining who the killer really is (could it actually be Julia?). And, at the same time, we get a look at the inside workings of Hollywood. It's a fun read with a very intriguing protagonist. I think I might need to check out other Abbi Waxman books.

Another Great Mystery from Hannah Jayne - we did nothing wrong

Even though I am, let’s say, a few years older than the YA characters in Hannah Jayne’s mysteries, I still enjoy the heck out of them. It’s not about the age of the characters. It’s about: Is the book well-written?…and does the mystery keep you guessing?…and do you care about the protagonists? I’ve a big fat YES to all 3 of those questions!

A very quick synopsis: Lia and Diana are long-time best friends and very popular in high school. But there’s been a recent build-up where they are going in different directions. One very late school night, they are scheduled to meet up at a nearby park, which they have been doing for years. Only this time, Lia is late - you’ll have to read the book to find out why - and when she gets there, Diana is gone. Why isn’t she there? Is it Lia’s fault? You know what you have to do to get answers to these, and many other, questions.

The only very small giveaway I will give you is…nah, I changed my mind. All I will say is that the tension grows and grows. Once you start we did nothing wrong, you will not want to put it down. Get your copy stat!