A murder at Agatha Christie's coastal estate involving a well off couple who are renting the house to take in two nurses and a gaggle of young children evacuated from London sounds like something the mistress of mystery would write. Bridget is anxious to leave London after an incident at the hospital where she was working makes it impossible for her to stay. A job falls into her lap as well as a nurse's cap and cape setting her off on a train with a second nurse Bridget and ten children under the age of 5. To get out of London and the bombings should feel wonderful but the situation at the estate and all those little ones to look after as well as the PTSD which Bridey is suffering from makes her all the more anxious. It doesn't help that the other nurse Gigi is mysterious and flighty disappearing for hours. When a body is discovered whom they both recognize the plot thickens and takes a much darker turn. Written in true Agatha Christie style in tone and characters, this is a solid hit for classic mystery lovers as well as those who are fascinated by WWII London and the evacuation. I also listened to the audiobook and it is fabulous. The perfect pick for a long car ride or cooler stormy fall days. 4 stars
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1707 Scotland
A soldier comes to call on a friend from the army and in his absence is given the task of proving or disproving a woman's claim that she married a seaman and should receive the widow's pension. Lily cannot find any witnesses to the wedding or any paperwork that would be absolute proof and it becomes clear to Adam that she needs his help. So begins the search of Lily's past to find anyone who can vouch for her and this is also where the tale begins to twist and turn and secrets emerge. Political unrest , strong women, a hint of romance and much danger adds up to a sweeping historical saga full of secrets. This is the book to read if you love Diana Gabaldon and Sara Donati series. 4 1/2 stars 1954
Three young men become friends at a boy's correctional facility in Nebraska. When Emmett is released early to take care of his young brother Duchess and Woolly take advantage and hitch a ride in the trunk. Emmett and Billy only have each other now and Billy is determined to find their mother by the postcards she has sent them over the years. They make a plan to take the Lincoln Highway all the way to California to find her. Duchess and Woolly have other plans and a very different type of road trip begins. A stunning glimpse of a time gone by - an adventure the likes of Billy's favorite storybook made by a group of misfits looking for redemption and a chance to be a hero instead of the bad boy. Beautifully written, this is a quiet story that begs to be savored one sentence at a time. Billy's innocence, unflagging trust and blind faith in the goodness of people will grip your heart. Amor Towle's fans will fall in love all over again as will readers who want a deep dive into the character's soul with a bit of adventure thrown in. 5 stars Just in time for Halloween, a chill in the air and witchy things! Annie gets dumped and what makes it unbearable is that he is also her best friend. She takes a job away from the city teaching high schoolers in a small upstate New York town. It is quaint and she can wallow in self pity (and wine) until she is befriended by a beautiful ,seemingly ageless woman who runs the town and its inhabitants. Or, is it that the town runs away from? Sophie is everything that Annie needs at the moment and they spend more and more time together until strange things start happening during those weekend sleepovers. A very fun story -part romcom, part female empowerment and a healthy dose of Rachel Harrison horror. Not since CHARLOTTE'S WEB have I been so charmed by a spider. 4 spooky stars
Such a quiet book that handles some hard topics. Jean is a reporter who takes on an interesting story of a woman claiming that her child was the result of a virgin birth. Jean is skeptical as is the rest of the newsroom but agrees to research and report the findings. As she gets to know Gretchen, her daughter Margaret and current husband Howard, Jean starts to like these people and begins to root for them. Test after test is run and Jean interviews as many people who were at the hospital around the same time as Gretchen where the supposed miracle conception took place. Jean could be called a dutiful spinster living with her crotchety frail mother but when she is included in the Tidbury family's lives Jean starts coming out of her shell. This story takes place in 1950's London, which means they did not have the precise DNA tests they do now and society judged women harshly who had children out of wedlock. Achingly sweet, this story is of good people trying to deny themselves their true self by trying to do the right thing. For readers who love a good historical story with a deep character dive touched with sweetness. 4 stars
A horrific earthquake that hit Haiti in 2010 changes the lives of a group of people. Lyrical writing set against the violence of Mother Nature and the yearning of the Haitians for a better life and to dig their way out of this tragedy. The large cast of characters is made up of a wide cross section of people from a wealthy expat to call girl to musician to a mother living in the camps. The connective tissue is Ma Lou, an elderly woman selling produce in the market. It reminds us how fragile the earth can be and how resilient the human spirit is in the face of disaster. 3 1/2 stars
Zora and her little sister are dealing with profound loss and trying to adjust to their new home with their grandmother. Instead of the outpouring of art and creative expression that Zora has been known for since she was old enough to hold a crayon, she is unable to draw. All she feels is sadness and rage and nothing anyone says or does is helping. Then she and her sister are pulled into the magic world of Pencilvania where her drawings come to life. All is not well there and Zora must find her "voom" to save her sister and get back into their world. Grief, family and creative expression are all central themes and the cute illustrations do much to add to the story. This feels like a hybrid graphic novel/fiction for younger middle grade readers and will appeal to those kids who are never without paper and a pencil. 3 stars
We all think we know what happens between "once upon a time" and "happily ever after". This slim tale will change that impression. A mash up of most of our favorite fairy tales with a moral of course and many laughs. Ambrose and Imelda should be thrilled to have an enchanted kingdom in which they are bound by everlasting love but they aren't. To get out of this gig they must do a little task for a wicked witch and it is this quest which might leave them questioning what they thought they wanted. From charmed honey badgers to a cloak that thinks it is a horse , it is a delight from page one. For fans of the shenanigans of Kevin Hearn and Delilah Dawson and all those revisited Disney princess tales- so much fun. 4 1/2 stars
Anyone who has done a 23 and Me or another DNA tracing service will get chills up their spine after reading this thriller. The results are in and Liz finds out not only is she adopted but that her mother gave her up while incarcerated and the father is unknown. Somehow through research she finds a Great Uncle and is excited to meet him and find out more about the family until the FBI gets into the picture with chilling news. It turns out her DNA might be linked to the only evidence they have on the notorious Tri State Killer. This story is handled really well so that by the mid point of the book you aren't about to put it down and you can cut the tension with a knife. This would be the perfect choice for readers of "scare myself silly" thrillers as well as true crime junkies. Don't be surprised if after reading this you dig out those results for a closer look. 4 stars
Contestants fight their way through a manufactured haunted house full of costumed creepies and traps to win a big cash prize. One team stands to win it all until a horrible wrinkle occurs- a murder. The story is broken into several sections from police/courtroom interviews, play by play action of the game in each cell and the back story of how each of the characters are linked. I was fascinated by the idea of taking a decrepit house and turning it into a money making escape room and thinking this might be an idea to try in all those empty shopping malls and was less pulled into the back story of some of the people involved and social commentary. This book will appeal to readers who are looking for stories of the human condition and less to readers of horror fiction. That being said, the scenes of the game being played were pretty darn scary. 3 1/2 stars
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