Nevermore: After the Cataclysm, Force of Nature, Family Lore, When I'm Dead, To Conjure a Killer, This Time Tomorrow

 Reported by Kristin 

 

We had a small group on this very cold day, but it was nice to Zoom in and talk books!

 

First up, one reader discussed After the Cataclysm: Volume II: The Political Economy of Human Rights by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman. Covering Western influenced political movements in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, Chomsky and Herman come together again to look at how the United States is involved in the political regimes of many other world countries. Our reader expressed her fraught emotions that so many lives have been lost, decades past and continuing to the present day.

 

Another more life affirming book was mentioned by the same reader: Force of Nature by Joan M. Griffin. The non-fiction work tells the tale of three women friends, all 50-somethings, who set off to walk the beautiful John Muir trail in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Our reader noted that alongside the description of the beauty and difficulty of the trail, the author included nitty-gritty details such as the relief of receiving food and clothing packages, including the delight of being able to put on clean underclothing after days of hiking. This comes highly recommended!

 

Another reader is just getting into another new book, Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Dominican American Flor has a special gift--she can predict when someone will die. When Flor announces to her family that she wants to have a living wake, their responses are generally along the line of "Oh no, is Flor going to die soon??"

 

When I'm Dead by Hannah Morrissey interested one of our book club members, with the main characters being a husband and wife team, a police detective and a medical examiner, respectively. When bodies of their teenage daughter's friends start showing up, and then their daughter goes missing, these parents must race against the clock as they investigate the murders of the young women.

 

Clea Simon's Witch Cats of Salem series returned to Nevermore with the fourth in series To Conjure a Killer. Main character Becca is part of a young coven based in Cambridge, all members working earnestly to cast spells. Little does she know that her mystical feline friends may be the ones who have more substantial power. When Becca's ex-boyfriend shows up (dead), guess who is a prime suspect? 

 

Another recent book read was This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub. Our reader said this was another time travel or time slipping book which she keeps finding in her reading pile. Alice goes out to celebrate her 40th birthday with her lifelong best friend. Her life is okay, but somewhat mundane, and she is dealing with anticipatory grief for her hospitalized father. But when she wakes up the next morning in her childhood home with her father at the table, she realizes she has returned to her 16th birthday, and perhaps a chance to live her life a little differently. Again, and again, and again.

 

Also mentioned:

 

Sigrid Rides: The Story of an Extraordinary Friendship and an Adventure on Two Wheels by Travis Nelson

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

The Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

The Fireman by Joe Hill

Weyward by Emilia Hart

To Conjure a Killer by Clea Simon

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Becca Colwin, witch detective, is walking home from her job at the New Age shop Charm and Cherish when she sees a kitten darting into the street.  Becca springs into action, chasing the kitten into an alley to rescue it—and finding a dead body in the process.  It’s not just any dead body either:  the deceased is Becca’s former boyfriend, Jeff. 

Of course, that’s when the police show up.

While Becca isn’t arrested, she is a person of interest in the slaying. After all, she was found standing over the body.  In order to clear her name, Becca is going to have to use all her powers, supernatural or otherwise, in order to solve the case.  This means she’s going to have to find out about the people in Jeff’s life and about the software program he was working on—one that people are saying could have been an electronic game changer.

Fortunately for Becca, she’s not the only one on the case.  Her three cats also have a vested interest in keeping her out of jail—and her cats are the ones with actual supernatural powers.

Nowadays, there are many mystery series with some otherworldly touches, but this series stands alone in that, unbeknownst to her, Becca’s cats are the ones with magic.  In fact, Becca’s belief that she has powers is due to luxury loving Harriet deciding to conjure up a more comfy pillow.  Harriet and Laurel, the two older cats, are more concerned that Becca bring home the cat food and attend to their every need, while Clara is devoted to Becca as her person and tries to help in every way she can.  The new kitten adds a layer of intrigue to the story as well:  is she just an ordinary cat or is she a witch cat as well?

The characters are well drawn.  Becca is an appealing protagonist, with her kind heart and empathetic nature. There are some intriguing supporting characters as well, especially the enigmatic Elizabeth, whose sister owns Charm and Cherish. The suspect gallery in this one is quite good.  But I have to say that the cats steal the show—as well they should.