Nevermore Book List for 9-16-25

 

 

Books Mentioned:

 

The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy

Amelia Storm Series by Mary Stone

Fighting Angel by Pearl S. Buck

Clear Springs by Bobbie Ann Mason

Journey from Darkness by Gareth Crocker, Llewellyn Crocker

The Fourth Horseman by Randy Lee Eickhoff

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

Chemistry and Other Stories by Ron Rash

Ye Olde Cat Memes: The Original Book of Cat Humor by Eulalie Osgood Grover

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney

The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan

Now You See It by Carol J. Perry

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Newlywed Lee Barrett is taking on yet another new job at WICH-TV, Salem’s aptly-lettered local TV station. This time she is “Historical Documentary Chief Executive,” working on features that deal with the town’s storied past. Of course, this is in addition to all her other jobs at the station, but at least she’s getting a chance to be in front of the camera again. A new museum dedicated to New England history will be opening soon, so Lee is covering the final renovations and installations for their first exhibit, “Seafaring New England.” There will be some dazzling exhibits, including some very rare and near priceless items: Chinese porcelain, jewels from India, and more.

Lee’s new husband, Detective Pete Mondello, is also taking an interest in the exhibit but not for the same reasons: a delivery man who was bringing in items for the exhibition is found murdered in a pile of leaves.  Oddly, nothing seems to have been taken. But then Lee’s psychic senses begin to show her images and she soon finds herself reporting on more than ships and cargo.

This is lucky number thirteen in the Witch City Mystery series, though you don’t necessarily have to read them in order. For me, part of the pleasure in these books is touching base with all the characters, who feel like old friends by now.  I adore O’Ryan, Lee’s cat who may be more than he seems; her Aunt Ibby, reference librarian and amateur sleuth who helps Lee with her research; and River North, who is a practicing witch and TV movie host who reads Tarot for Lee. You may notice that I left Pete out of the list, not because I dislike him but to be honest, I find him a rather bland character in the middle of so many interesting ones.

One thing I have always loved about this series is that I learn from it.  There’s always a look behind the scenes at a TV station, but usually there’s something else connected with the mystery.  This time there’s some fascinating background about the shipping trade viewed in part through family history of some of the characters.  The descriptions are always vivid: I could almost see some of the exhibits.  The solutions are clever and never come out of left field.

This is one of my favorite cozy series, and long may it sail!

New Fiction in October

 

Adams, Ellery  The Tattered Cover (Secret, Book, and Scone)

Albom, Mitch Twice

Andrews, Donna  Five Golden Wings (Meg Lanslow)

Armstrong, Kelley  The Haunting of Payne’s Hollow

Banville, John  Venetian Vespers

Beaton, M. C. Sugar and Spite (Agatha Raisin)

Brett, Simon Mrs. Pargeter’s Past

Briggs, Patricia  Blind Date with a Werewolf

Brunstetter, Richelle  The Amish Ballerina

Carr, Jack Cry Havoc (Tom Reece)

Child, Lee  Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories

Coben, Harlan & Reese Witherspoon  Gone Before Goodbye

Colgan, Jenny  The Secret Christmas Library

Connelly, Michael  The Proving Ground (Lincoln Lawyer)

Cornwell, Patricia  Sharp Force (Scarpetta)

DeMille, Nelson The Tin Men (Scott Brodie & Maggie Taylor)

Freeman, Brian  Photograph

Gish, Jen Bad Bad Girl

Graham, Heather The Sword of Light

Gregory, Philippa The Boleyn Traitor

Grisham, John  The Widow

Hannah, Sophie  The Last Death of the Year (Hercule Poirot)

Hannon, Irene  Out of Time

Hazelwood, Ali  Mate

Hill, Joe  King Sorrow

Hunter, Stephen  The Gun Man Jackson Swagger:  A Western

Karon, Jan  My Beloved (Mitford)

Kashiwai, Hisasi  Menu of Happiness (Kamogawa Food Detectives)

Kellerman, Jonathan & Jesse Coyote Hills (Clay Edison)

Klavan, Andrew  After That, the Dark (Cameron Winter)

Lee, Harper  The Land of Sweet Forever: Stories and Essays

Macomber, Debbie A Ferry Merry Christmas

Mackesy, Charlie  Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse, and the Storm

McFadden, Freida The Intruder

Mizushima, Margaret  Dying Cry (Timber Creek K-9)

Newman, Catherine  Wreck

Patterson, James  The Picasso Heist

Penny, Louise  The Black Wolf

Peterson, Tracie  A Moment to Love

Reich, Christopher  The Tourists

Rose, Jeneva  Dating After the End of the World

Sparks, Nicholas  Remain: A Supernatural Love Story

Stevens, Chevy The Hitchhikers

Nevermore: Fighting Words, Murder on the Orient Express: Graphic Novel, Milkweed Lands

 

Nevermore 9-9-25

Reported by Rita

 

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful that they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf -- her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud.

A good look into the foster system; very well done. A beautiful story of two sisters who have no one else. Quick, easy read.     -NH     5 stars

 

Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel by Bob Al-Greene (Illustrator, Adapter), Agatha Christie

Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is the murderer.

Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again.

This beautiful, full-color graphic novel adaptation brings this favorite mystery to life--perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike.

It was fun and I loved the artwork.     -CD     5 stars

 

The Milkweed Lands: An Epic Story of One Plant: Its Nature and Ecology by Eric Lee-Mäder, Beverly Duncan (Illustrations)

Delve into this fascinating appreciation of milkweed, an often-overlooked plant, and discover an amazing range of insects and organisms that depend on it as the seasons unfold, with this collaboration between a noted ecologist and an award-winning botanical illustrator. Ecologist Eric Lee-Mäde r and noted botanical artist Beverly Duncan have teamed up to create this unique exploration of the complex ecosystem that is supported by the remarkable milkweed plant, often overlooked or dismissed as a roadside weed. With stunning, up-close illustrations and engaging text, they trace every stage of the plant's changes and evolutions throughout the seasons, including germination, growth, flowering, and seed development.

An amazing book filled with lots of information and great illustrations.      -MS       5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned: 

Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony by Lee Miller

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less by Jim Vandehei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz

Doonesbury: Peace Out, Dawg! by G.B. Trudeau

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion by Julie Satow

  

New Books: 

The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox

 The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney

Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves by Johnathan Walton

A History of Ghosts, Spirits, and the Supernatural

Reviewed by Jeanne

This is a DK production, so of course it’s packed with information and illustrations.  It's arranged chronologically, starting with the ancient world, antiquity to medieval, and then by centuries, ending with 1900 and beyond.  The coverage is world-wide; from Celtic mythology to Egyptian to Arabic to Mesoamerican and all points in between.  Ghosts, jinn, dybbuks, mermaids, the Wild Hunt, Ouija boards, urban legends, they’re all here in the pages of this book.  While I would be tempted to read the whole thing through, I have to confess I have skipped around a bit to read the sections I thought most intriguing. Most of the entries are fairly brief, just a page or two, but enough to give a good overview and to send readers in search of more in-depth information for those topics they find most appealing.

One section I read first deals with fairies, the “wee folk,” who appear in folklore all over the world.  There’s no set description—some are beautiful, some ugly; some have wings, some not—but they are all dangerous.  They may not be malevolent but they do live by their own rules and for those that break them, the consequences can be dire.  Of course, our images of fairies have changed over the centuries, and been influenced by literature, including Pinocchio and Peter Pan. There was also a reference to the (in)famous Cottingley Fairies of the 1920s.

The Wild Hunt also caught my eye, as I have come across many references to it over the years but many details seemed to differ.  Again, this is a concept which crosses many cultures, thought the article deals mainly with the European variants: the pack of hounds in Britain; Odin and Valkyries in Scandinavia; or the Sluda Sidhe, fairies who are out to get humans in Ireland.  A variant in Enlgand has the antlered Herne the Hunter leading the Wild Hunt. All are considered bad luck at best and downright dangerous at worst.

One I didn’t know about was the “waiting women” of Chinese folklore.  These can be ghosts or other supernatural women who die for love and wait for their beloved to either join them or else recognize them so they can be together.  Some stories have happy endings but others have the poor waiting woman forever waiting.

The later chapters deal with more modern manifestations of supernatural lore, including spiritualism (and the Fox sisters, who were famous mediums in the 1800s), ghost photography, paranormal romance novels (think Twilight), ghostly tours, paranormal investigations, and ghosts in popular culture. 

It’s a great book to browse and, wonder of wonders, it has an index so that you can look up, say, Krampus or Bloody Mary. I really enjoyed dipping into it.  While sometimes the information is a bit scant, it’s a great place to find things you want to investigate more thoroughly—or just enjoy the bits of information and move on.

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Madeline Hill (Mad) and her mom have a farm in Coalfield, Tennessee. When a man pulls up to their farm stand one day, Mad assumes he’s just a last minute customer hoping for some produce. But no, Reuben Hill (Rube) tells her that he believes they are half siblings, and that their serial monogamist father may have left a trail of other children across the country from Massachusetts to California. And, oh yeah, would she like to drive across the country with him in a rented PT Cruiser to find the others?

The elder Mr. Hill left Rube’s mother thirty years ago, and Mad’s mother twenty years ago, so it appears that he had a habit of reinventing himself. Was he a writer, a farmer, a soccer coach, or something else entirely? Like a chameleon, he appeared to change professions, wives/partners, and geography whenever he felt the need.

Mad and Rube begin a journey of self-exploration that does much more than take them across state lines. In an attempt to find the answers they seek, they discover more family while uncovering a family history they never knew.

Author Kevin Wilson is the master of crazy happenings; two of his previous characters burst into flames with strong emotions in Nothing to See Here. His humor and wit are biting as well as entertaining. I also enjoyed Now Is Not the Time to Panic where a homemade poster causes ripples of paranoia across the country.

If you’re looking for more road trip fiction, I suggest He Started It by Samantha Downing, The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, or Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler. (Okay, I admit I’m just about to read that last one, but it certainly sounds good. If you get to it before me, let me know!)

Nevermore: Beyond Summer, Blue Arabesque, The War that Saved My Life

 

Nevermore 9-2-25

Reported by Rita

Beyond Summer (Blue Sky Hill #3) by Lisa Wingate
Tam Lambert and Shasta Williams, new neighbors in a changing Dallas neighborhood called Blue Sky Hill, team up to fight a corrupt deal that could force them from their homes, but find their friendships and loyalties tested in the process.

A sweet story about friends solving life's problems together. I felt like it didn't have a real conclusion. -WJ 5 stars

Blue Arabesque: A Search for the Sublime by Patricia Hampl
The MacArthur Fellowship recipient, author of Virgin Time, describes her fascination with a Matisse painting during her post-college years, which prompted intricate meditations on the painting's symbolism as well as her own international travels.

This was my second reading of this lovely book. It's really interesting and beautiful. I love it! -DC 4 stars


The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada's twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn't waste a minute - she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan - and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

It was a good, quick read. Enjoyable. - PP 3 stars


Other Books Mentioned:

My Friends by Fredrik Backman
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution by Pyotr Kropotkin
The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
25 Real Patient Stories: A Junior Doctor's Journey through the Highs and Lows of Medicine by Monika Schneider
Where Have All the Birds Gone?: Nature in Crisis by Rebecca E. Hirsch
The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting
Refuge by Dot Jackson


New Books:

The Enchanted Greenhouse (Spellshop, #2) by Sarah Beth Durst
American Mythology by Giano Cromley