Nevermore: Starling House, Snow Leopard, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

 Reported by Rita

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Determined to find a better life for her younger brother Jasper, Opal, when she gets the chance to step inside the Starling House, the estate of the 19th-century author of her favorite book, and make some extra cash, finds things taking a sinister turn.

  I didn’t love it, but I liked it – good if you like horror.    – MH      4.5 stars

 

T

he Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen

An account of the author's two-hundred-fifty-mile journey, on foot, from Kathmandu, Nepal, to the Crystal Mountain in Tibet, in search of the Himalayan blue sheep, the rare snow leopard, and distances of the spirit.

Third time reading. It’s a beautifully written adventure.    – DC       5 stars

 

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

When she discovers a dead man in the middle of her tea shop, Vera Wong, a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands, calls the police. Later decides she is better equipped to solve the crime herself.  This becomes more complicated when she develops unexpected friendships with her suspects.

It‘s a good mystery, funny, and has well-developed characters.   – KP      5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

The House of Closed Doors by Jane Steen

Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes by Daniel L. Everett

The Hunt by Ryan Green

Outback Outlaws by Ryan Green

The Color of Water: a Black Man's Tribute to his White Mother by James McBride

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: a Novel by Helen Simonson

Caravans: a Novel of Afghanistan by James A. Michener

Ship of Theseus by V.M. Straka

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu

 

New Books

 

100 Places to See After You Die: a Travel Guide to the Afterlife  by Ken Jennings

The Little Encyclopedia of Fairies: an A to Z Guide to Fae Magic by Ojo Opanike

The United States of Cryptids: a Tour of American Myths and Monsters by J. W. Ocker

Nevermore: Cat Saw Murder, Jefferson's Sons, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Island, Snow Leopard, Tipperary, Island That Dared

 

Nevermore opened up with another recommendation for a mystery which has been making the rounds:  The Cat Saw Murder by Dolores Hitchens. Originally published in 1939 but recently reprinted, this delightful mystery features mature sleuth Rachel Murdock whose visit with her niece turns into a murder investigation.  Our reader added her positive review to the chorus, but noted that she was shocked that the 70ish Rachel was considered to be very elderly. 

Another book making a return appearance was Jefferson’s Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Told from the point of view of three of Jefferson’s children by Sally Hemings, the book portrays the inconsistencies of Jefferson’s views and the inequalities experienced by his mixed race children. The book is both heartbreaking and enlightening.  Our reader was fascinated with the book, calling it both delightful and insightful. She highly recommends it for anyone with an interest in American history, or for anyone looking for a good story. The book is generally found in the Young Adult section, but adults will find it to be just as worthwhile.

 

This matched well with the next book, the classic Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.  Our reader was enthralled with the book, finding it difficult to put down.  Stowe knew former slaves and so had first-hand accounts to describe the horrors of slavery.  Our reviewer feels that everyone should read this book.  

The next book had a very brief review.  The Island by Peter Benchley has to do with the strange disappearances of many boats along with the people on board.  Our reader called it “one of the worst books ever.” Enough said. 

 

The Snow Leopard by Richard Matthiessen is an older title, dating from 1978, but it still captured the attention of our reviewer.  The book chronicles Matthiessen’s journey to the Himalayan Mountains to study the blue sheep, but the journey is as much a spiritual one as it is a physical one.  Buddhist philosophy plays a large role, and Matthiessen does a brilliant job of blending the search for an elusive creature with the search for peace. 

 

Our next reader so enjoyed Frank Delaney’s novel Ireland that she decided to read Tipperary as well.  The latter book set during the late 19^th-early 20^th centuries has two narrators:  one is Charles O’Brien, a historian who tells of his life, including interactions with influential Irishmen such as James Joyce.  He falls in love with an Englishwoman many years his junior who wants to reclaim her Irish home, Tipperary Castle. There is a second narrator who purports to have found this memoir and who comments on it. Our reader said it was confusing in places but a really good book if you could keep track of the characters and events.

 

The Island That Dared by Dervla Murphy is an in-depth look at Cuba.  Murphy is a well-respected travel writer, and here she seeks to experience Cuba in much the same way as ordinary Cubans. She’s looking for the backwaters and areas tourists never see, and interacts with the Cuban people.  She also provides a wealth of historical background and insight, with certain conclusions that some people might view as controversial.  Our reviewer recommended it highly, and felt that everyone needed to read it in order to understand the whole historic and modern day Cuban situation.