With all of the rather unpleasant weather March brought us, I've had a few extra opportunities to cozy up with a good book. And, because I am who I am, I've been reading a little bit of everything! Non-fiction, thrillers, historical fiction, contemporary fiction in several flavors... Curious? Read on!
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures, by Aaron Mahnke. I've been a fan of Mahnke's incredibly addictive podcast, Lore, for quite some time and as he's branching out into books and television (season one of Lore, the show, is available through Amazon Prime), I've been following right along. Monstrous Creatures, the first of two collections of essays based on his podcast (the second, Wicked Mortals, is due out in May), is hugely entertaining, provided you're into the historical events surrounding bizarre myths and legends. From the Jersey Devil to gremlins and many stories in between, Mahnke recounts documented accounts and popular stories in an entertaining narrative that makes one wonder about how the stories we tell reflect on us as humans. Excellent stuff. Trumbull patrons can download this title for free via Overdrive.
Look for Me, by Lisa Gardner. Eleventh in Gardner's Detective D.D. Warren series, following 2016's Find Her, also featuring recurring character Flora Dane, also seen in Find Her. Warren is called on a fresh homicide case, a family murdered, the eldest daughter missing. Is the missing girl the murderer? Or is she the next target? Abduction survivor turned avenger Flora Dane turns up in short order, having spoken with the now-missing girl in the last few weeks. Dane turns official confidential informant as she and D.D race against the clock to find a girl who doesn't want to be found. Fast-paced suspense and an excellent plotline made this a two-night read. Gardner is consistently a favorite. Also available in Large Print and audio.
All Wound Up, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Sometimes, as a knitter, I seek some inspiration for getting back into creating. When I feel the need, reading about other knitters, what they make and why they knit, is incredibly inspiring and gives me that spark of ambition back. This collection of essays by blogger Pearl-McPhee (you can read her blog here) , and the following one by Rachael Herron, were both just what I needed to get me back into motion. I downloaded this title, and the next, from Overdrive.
A Life in Stitches, by Rachael Herron. Herron is a novelist by day, an emergency dispatcher by night, and a knitter always. She's also founder of the hugely popular blog Yarnagogo, where she talks about all things writerly and crafterly in her life. This collection of essays was vastly entertaining to me as a reader, a librarian, a knitter and a person who just likes to learn new things.
Mrs. Fletcher, by Tom Perrotta. From the bestselling author of The Leftovers, this new novel is a study, both thoughtful and hilarious, of sex, love and identity in the technological age in which we live. Eve Fletcher is on the cusp of something new. Divorced, her only child leaving for his freshman year at college, Eve works full time as a senior center coordinator and wants more to fill her long evenings alone. She takes a course in gender studies at the local community college, and what she learns there begins to spill into her life and her relationships as she explores possibilities she'd never imagined. At the same time, her son Brendan, jock and aspiring frat-boy, discovers that college isn't the 24/7 party he'd been anticipating. As a matter of fact, he's in the minority, finding himself quickly outcast for his shallow and chauvinistic behavior. Both Eve and Brendan find themselves in morally sticky situations neither is adequately prepared to maneuver. Surprising and deeply entertaining, just not for the faint-of-heart. Also available in Large Print and audio.
City of Endless Night, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Latest in this writing duo's Special Agent Pendergast series. I'm finally caught up with this series! And it just keeps getting better. Here, following the grim events that closed The Obsidian Chamber, Pendergast is assigned to a developing NYPD homicide case being headed by none other than his long-time friend Lieutenant D'Agosta. The case is, initially, that of the wild daughter of a tech mogul, found murdered and beheaded three days after she was reported missing. What is thought as an isolated event quickly becomes the first in a series of grisly murders, but who is the fiend behind this string of murders? And how is he choosing his victims? An excellent, twisted entry in this series, which is a favorite of mine. Also available in Large Print and audio.
The Summer Before the War, by Helen Simonson. My book club's pick for our April meeting, by the author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. In East Sussex, 1914, it is the summer before the beginning of World War I. But the people of East Sussex don't know this. What they know is that Beatrice Nash has been appointed to take over for the local school's Latin master, and this causes more than a small stir. For Agatha, her carefully built reputation is on the line after championing Miss Nash for the position. For Beatrice, she has never been so alone, forced to be practical and self-reliant after the death of her beloved father left her penniless. Can she find peace and purpose in the little town of Rye, even as the nation trembles on the edge of war? Gorgeous and riveting, the novel should provoke some excellent discussion. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Four Friends, by Robyn Carr. Gerri, Andy and Sonja have been friends and neighbors for years, helping one another through hard times and enjoying the good times together. Newcomer BJ is a bit of an outsider, standoffish and aloof, until one of the women is in crisis and BJ comes to the rescue. What begins is a broader, deeper friendship among the four as they support one another through some of the most challenging times of their lives. Robyn Carr writes great, likeable characters pulled together in enviable communities with relatable stories. Excellent easy reading. Also available in Large Print.
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