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Daniel and his young sister flee a slave rebellion on Jamaica only to find themselves controlled by a different master in London. Daniel fought for the British navy in the attempt to stop the American Patriots and they relocated to England on the hope for a fresh start and acceptance that King George promised. Instead Daniel and Pearl find themselves robbed and left to die if not for their saviors living in London's underbelly known as the Rookery of St. Giles. Daniel is desperate to reclaim what they are due but to survive he must serve another master just as cruel and fight. The setting is a mix of Dickens OLIVER TWIST with the politics and injustice of LES MISERABLES. This is a time and place that have not been written about very much loaded with lively characters, good and bad, resulting in riveting historical fiction brought vividly to life on every page. 5 stars 
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Katherine, younger sister to the famous Wright brothers is attending the World's Fair in St. Louis with a friend when she witnesses a murder. The woman's last words shocked Katherine because they were about the aviation contest. She convinces her friend to investigate the crime with her since the police are not interested in a female victim. I did not bond with the character as much as I wanted to but I did like the idea of a less famous sibling and a smart woman daring to do something when the men in charge weren't going to. A bonus was learning about the 1904 Fair both good and bad. A cozy historical mystery that a wide age group will enjoy and you do not need to read the first book in the series to enjoy this one. 3 1/2 stars  The latest in a time travel series that rivals OUTLANDER in well constructed plots, deep character development and all the fun of having Mallory try her darnedest to figure out Victorian Scotland which is the opposite of what she was in modern day. I would happily suggest reading (or listening to as I did) all four in the series but you will get the basics in any of the books so you don't need to start at the beginning. One of the things I enjoyed with these characters is their diversity - women who are independent, a variety of skin colors, genders and social class. There is also a hint of romance waiting in the wings. Mallory who was a detective in her day is always fighting her current role of assistant to an undertaker with a fascination with forensics. Add a dash of wit and fun banter and you have an exciting historical mystery to take your mind off of real life especially the audiobook. 4 stars  I would have rated this higher if it had been a different kind of true crime bo0k. While well written it was more about how sad a nasty divorce can get and the callous behavior of the super rich in New Canaan Connecticut and less of a mystery. While I felt horrible for the victim I wished someone would have stepped in and prevented this murder fr0m happening and the kids who were left without parents. Readers who enjoy true crime stories will enjoy this tale of wealth, power and control . 3 1/2 stars  1880's Portland Celia finds herself cast out when her fiancee's wealthy parents won't acknowledge their son's involvement with a half Chinese maid. Celia's only hope for herself and her unborn baby is to take a cooking and cleaning job at a bordello but finds her future even more dismal when she is shanghaied and wakes up in the bowels of a ship disguised as a man heading for a work camp away from her daughter. This is due to her uncovering a plot to hide involvement in the massacre of Chinese gold miners. A fascinating and well researched account of gold rush Oregon, anti-Asian hate crimes, underhanded politics, the social stigma of mixed marriages and the famous underground tunnels as well as Celia's harrowing adventures on land and sea. The alternating chapters where Celia wakes on the ship and pieces together what has happened was an interesting approach. Readers of Lisa See and FOUR TREASURES OF THE SKY will enjoy this. 4 stars  For anyone who loves a criminal investigation or two led down the rabbit hole of potential leads and misdirection, nothing is better than an Atticus Pund mystery with our lovable editor Susan Ryeland. She has returned to England after a stint in Greece recovering after a vicious attack at the hands of her boss. She accepts a manuscript to continue a popular series even though the original author is dead and finds a strange connection to the new author's family hidden in the new chapters making it a mystery inside a mystery. Susan must help guide this new author while solving another potential murder without alerting the killer. Anagrams, false leads, and a growing danger for Susan as she edges closer to the truth. While there are many players this mystery within a mystery ends up being enormously entertaining and challenging for any old school mystery reader. This is one of a series with this character but you get enough background to jump into this one easily. 4 stars  The Devil tries to get back in God's good graces by reaching out to an enslaved woman in the belly of a ship bound for the United States. She makes a deal with the Devil and this begins eight generations of him offering assistance to her descendants at the lowest point in their lives. This epic debut spans 175 years and covers life in the South, race, the occult in Black culture, family and of course the implications of making a deal with the Devil. Even with the family trees this is a book that begs you to take notes as there are many characters and at times the limbs of the family tree can be spindly. It felt like a combination of ROOTS, THE WATER DANCER and GOOD OMENS rolled into one satisfying read. The diversity of characters and biblical tie ins were interesting and combined with a well written story, made me double check that this was a debut. Looking forward to future books by this author. 4 stars  A locked room mystery involving a diplomatic trip to remote islands off Iceland. The Canadian Ambassador and his deputy along with spouses are there to see an art exhibit and broker a deal with the island's largest employer but along with the other guests become suspects when one of them drips dead at dinner. There are more than enough secrets, backstabbing, hints of illegal doings and hidden agendas to go around and it doesn't help that they are stuck on the island because of a huge storm with only a young policeman to solve the case. Even with the clever use of starting with the crime and working backwards there are a lot of characters and connections to sift through. The author's depiction of Iceland and its people felt very accurate. The pacing is slow until the pieces start to fall into place but that doubt remains and like the featured cocktail goes from a blast of heat to a nagging burn that won't go away. 3 1/2 stars  Arizona is not your usual 17 year old - she is brilliant especially at solving puzzles and breaking codes but has difficulty in large crowds and hair dryers. She was happiest touring around the country with her parents but her dad's recent accidental death and now her mother's kidnapping at a state park has put a lot of weight on her shoulders. Thankfully the meeting of Lily at a campground turns out to be a boon as the two of them and their dogs are now searching for clues to some secret that the kidnappers seem to think Arizona's dad left behind. This search takes them across the southwest and west coast following clues. While some things felt a little too good to be true I did enjoy this remarkable young woman and the fascinating background of secret societies, hidden symbols in landmarks and most of all a "cool" side to President Herbert Hoover. This would be a wonderful choice for young adults as well as adults who crave Dan Brown style thrillers and THE FELLOWSHIP OF PUZZLEMAKERS by Samuel Burr. 3 1/2 stars  We are all familiar with the brave exploits of the American all male Monuments Men team that scoured Europe on the heels of the Nazis to recover stolen art treasures. We are not familiar with Rose Valland who helped save thousands of artworks being moved to stock Hitler's private art museum or destroyed as degenerate art. Valland in her position at the prestigious Jeu de Paume art museum in Paris along with her co-workers found dangerous and clever ways to thwart the Nazi's. A story of true heroism but because she was a woman it has been kept under wraps until now. Fascinating and well written account that will have your jaw dropping when you consider how these priceless works of art could have disappeared forever. 4 stars  |
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