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Happy book birthday to THE FIRE CONCERTO by Sarah Landenwich Clara is a bartender in Austin which is a far cry from her early years as a musical prodigy pianist. A fire took that all away. Her old mentor dies leaving Clara a metronome with a mysterious past and once again she is pulled back to the world of the concert stage and ambition that she once escaped. As she tries to solve the metronome's origins she will also come to terms with her own family legacy. Historical fiction that shows the hidden history of female brilliance as well as a mystery that some don't want solved. This does for classical musicians what Dan Brown's books did for religious art treasures. Fans of Brendan Slocumb's classical music mysteries will enjoy. 4 stars 
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All Jane has ever known revolved around her dad and their cabin in the remote Montana woods. Living off the grid they don't see anyone else with the exception of rare visits to Bozeman to drop off her dad's self published luddite newsletter. Now a teen Jane is starting to question their situation when her dad involves her in something that goes horribly wrong. She flees and heads to San Francisco searching for answers and the mother she never knew. A new identity helps her find a job in the new tech industry but her past means always looking over her shoulder. Can she hide forever or will her dad's violent agenda get in the way? This book has coming of age tenderness combined with the underground extremist violence combined with the early days of the computer revolution making it a real draw for historical fiction, thriller and family drama readers. 4 stars  It must be an impossible task to be a ghostwriter but what if it was your estranged father's tale you were hired to tell? Olivia needs cash so she isn't in a position to turn down this job even though it is to translate her dying dad's notes and tell the story about the murder of her teenage aunt and uncle. The murders everyone thinks her dad committed. Julie Clark weaves a dual timeline of a troubled family that led to another troubled family. She deftly peels back the onion layers through a found journal, home movies and possibly unreliable memories of Olivia's ailing father to reveal an array of secrets and violence. Moving at lightening speed this will appeal to readers looking for gritty crime and family secrets. 4 stars  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  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  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  Happy book birthday to FEVER BEACH by Carl Hiaasen An over the top look at over the top political extremists which seems to be the norm in Florida these days. Hiaasen excels in presenting absurd characters involved in absurd acts with biting satire and many laughable moments. While doubled over in a belly laugh it struck me how close he is getting in regards to the truth. Proud Boy types, political wannabes, down on their luck characters and absurd influencers with more money than brains make up the cast for this radical comic romp. Hiassen's many fans will look to this for needed comic relief but others will not take the jokes well. As it is with Florida - some bask in the golden sunshine and some just get burned. 4 stars  Nic has been pretty messed up since her older sister went missing. She can't commit fully to anything or anyone and has to depend on her bike to get around thanks to a DUI. Enter Jenna who is searching for connections between her sister's disappearance and Nic's. They decide to work together to uncover what happened but the deeper they get the harder it is for Nic and the more muddy her relationship to Jenna becomes. There is a very different ending than what I expected that completely turns the table around on this tightly written thriller. 4 stars  Tabitha is living with her grandfather and his partner in Paris. One of her new friends is none other than Julia Child and together they explore the joys of French cooking and solving murders. Tabitha has an unusual talent for stumbling upon dead bodies and this time it is in a couture house. The gossip on the street is that the house of Dior is responsible but Tabitha and her new model friends feel this is not the case. The bodies begin to stack up but Tabitha is not deterred. We get the joy of Julia Child's now famous french cuisine, the view of a young American in Paris and the exciting world of couture fashion houses in post war Paris plus a mystery all wrapped up with a kiss. Cozy but not too much and full of historical tidbits this will appeal to many. 4 stars  Wow! This book dove into so many fears - of not succeeding in life, of a parent's anger, of Roger Rabbit and more. A young comedian who is grappling with the loss of the parent who abandoned her ends up trying to help a five year old runaway. Suddenly their lives are upended by violence and supernatural happenings that no one can explain. Gruesome yet effective I listened to this and had to drive around the block a few times to calm my breathing. A blending of childhood fear combined with STRANGER THINGS mind ability is a powerful and scary thing. The afterward by the author was a treat unto itself. 4 stars  |
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