Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year’s by Liz Ireland

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

April Claus is trying to stay calm, but when your husband is out making stops all over the world in an aging sleigh pulled by reindeer it’s a little hard.  The sleigh doesn’t even have seatbelts.  Although everyone tells her not to worry, that Santa always comes back, she’s still very tense.  She’s trying to immerse herself in the welcome back preparations, but then there’s a Situation.

Three humans have been found near Santaland, all injured from an apparent plane crash.  They can’t just be left to die, so they are transported to Christmastown where they’ll have to kept isolated and unaware of where they are.  There’s a complication, though:  one of the men has been stabbed—with a reindeer antler.

When the man dies, the ante is upped:  not only does April have to find a murderer, but she also has to keep the survivors convinced that they’re in Canada, that reindeer and snowmen don’t talk, that the elves are just somewhat short humans, and that all the Christmas stuff is just seasonal decorations and not a way of life.

Okay, so when I first heard about this series I thought it sounded way too cutesy for my taste.  Maybe even silly.  Then a reviewer whose opinion I respect gave it a very good review and I decided to give it a try.  I first read a novella set in this world, and found it to be delightful so I moved on to a full length book. 

I’ll admit that it does require a certain suspension of disbelief, what with talking reindeer, elves, snow monsters, and such, but then again so do books in which the local pastry chef solves murders and doles out recipes with equal aplomb.  Most of all, I found this book to be fun and imaginative.  Since April is still an outsider in some ways, having been a human innkeeper in Oregon before meeting Nick, she’s a good guide to the intricacies of Santaland living.  There’s a good bit of world-building and some wonderful characters.  Some of the reindeer were my favorites—oh, not the celebrity reindeer, but the off-beat ones like Wobbler and Quasar. The elves’ efforts to pretend to be Canadian were as humorous as they were earnest, and while I wouldn’t classify this as a fair play mystery, I had such fun reading it that I didn’t care.

While this may not be everyone’s cup of Christmas cheer, I found it was definitely mine. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.

Nevermore: Black Cake, Masters of Bow Street, Profiles in Ignorance, Framed

 

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson caught the attention of one of our Nevermore readers.  This debut novel tells the story of a Caribbean American family from several different viewpoints, spanning decades as a family discovers that what they thought they knew may not be true. Our reviewer said this not her usual fare, but she’s finding it a fascinating book.

Five Stars, FE

A lengthy historical novel was up next.  While he was better known for his mystery novels, John Creasey also wrote The Masters of Bow Street, a fictionalized version of the founding of Scotland Yard by a group known as the “Bow Street Runners.”  Our reader liked the book a lot, and was disappointed to find his mysteries tended to be much shorter.  (Note:  Creasey wrote under many, many, many different pseudonyms, including J.J. Marric, Gordon Ashe, Tex Riley (westerns), and Margaret Cooke (romances).  Wikipedia says he wrote more than 600 books under 28 different names.)

Five Stars WJ

Praise was also given to Profiles in Ignorance by Andy Borowitz, a political satirist who examines what he calls the “three stages of ignorance:  ridicule, acceptance, and celebrating.” He uses various politicians to illustrate the various stages.  Our reader thought it was an important and thoughtful book, even as it used humor to make its point.

Five Stars DC

Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey is, as the subtitle suggests, stories of innocent people who were nonetheless convicted.  The stories recount not only the investigations and trials, but also what happens to the people afterwards. Our reader was moved by the terrible things those people had to endure, and how their lives were upended even after exoneration.

Five Stars, NH

 

Other five star books:

Fleeing France: A WWII Novel of Sacrifice and Rescue in the French Ambulance Service by Alan Hlad

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo

The English Chemist: The Story of Rosalind Franklin: A Novel by Jessica Mills

A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

Hard Times:  An Oral History of the Great Depression by Studs Terkel

The Quiet Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake

 

Four Star Books

A Northern Light in Provence by Elizabeth Birkelund

Heartbeat Library by Laura Imai Messina

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag

Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker

Reviewed by Jeanne

Mara is an aimless twenty-something whose extended family tries to seem supportive but she knows she’s a disappointment. Her cousin Jeremy is the opposite, having had a successful modeling career even before graduation and now is the host of a popular series that combines home renovation with ghost-hunting. When Jeremy offers her an entry level position, Mara first turns it down but then becomes so desperate it begins to sound like a way to escape at least.

As one of the lowest people in the production, Mara finds herself working the night shift and learning about the finer points of providing the needed spooky events.  She operates the fog machines, makes creepy noises, and does whatever the production needs to unnerve the new homeowners.  It’s still a crappy job, but she’s starting to enjoy at least some of it until a new co-worker seems poised to outdo her on the job.

I picked up this short novel because I was in the mood for something with atmosphere and I thought fake haunted houses might be just the ticket. It was a bit disconcerting to pick up a second book in a row with an unemployed and unmotivated twentyish woman, but Mara did become intrigued with her new job and seemed on her way to, as we used to say, “finding herself.”  It was also interesting to see a sort of "behind the scenes" on how some of these reality shows work, how the production crews plan and shape a narrative.  The plot was somewhat low-key but I did enjoy it and am still thinking about the ending. I’m hesitant to say more, as it is a short book and I really don’t want to give anything away.

If you’re in the mood for something just a bit off beat, this may be a book for you.

The Dispatcher: Murder by Other Means by John Scalzi

Reviewed by Jeanne

Somewhere in the not too distant future, death becomes a bit less certain.  For whatever reason, people who are murdered may not die, but reappear in another place, sans clothing but unharmed.  This has given rise to a new job:  dispatcher.  These are trained and licensed professionals who work with the police and hospitals to officially “murder” people on the brink of death in hopes of having them reappear in better condition. It’s not infallible: 999 times out of 1000, the person returns, but that one time the victim will remain dead.

It’s not a profession for the faint of heart.

Tony Valdez is a dispatcher but he’s currently unemployed and struggling, so when a job comes up that isn’t exactly legal he is inclined to bend the rules just a little to pay the rent.  Shortly thereafter, Tony is present when a robbery goes wrong and soon it seems that someone is trying to set him up for something.  He’s going to have to find out who and why before someone else dies—and dies for good.

John Scalzi writes intriguing speculative fiction with a sense of humor and off-beat situations that still manage to be serious.  This novella is the second in the series, and although I hadn’t read the first book, I still had no problem keeping up.  I like that his main characters are usually decent people who follow a moral code and try to do the right thing no matter the circumstances.  His books are very creative as well as entertaining, and he plays off other genres, such as hard-boiled detective for this one, or fandoms, such as Star Trek for Redshirts. One of his more recent books, Starter Villain, gives me a sort of James Bond feel except that maybe sometimes the villains can be—well, maybe not exactly the good guys, but the not-so-bad guys.

Though short, I thoroughly enjoyed this entry in the series and recommend Scalzi to folks who think they don’t like fantasy or science fiction.

Nevermore: Murder in Music City, Nexus, Cursed Bunny

 

Nevermore 11-26-24       Reported by Rita

 

A Murder in Music City by Bishop, Michael

When a private citizen stumbles upon a secret file related to the murder of an 18-year-old babysitter in 1964, the unsolved case is reopened and, with the help of the world's top forensic experts, the real killer is finally brought to justice, in a shocking true crime story that changed Nashville history forever.

I found the author’s approach confusing and difficult to follow. I didn’t like it.      – NH        1 star

 

Nexus : A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Harari, Yuval N.

From the Stone Age through the canonization of the Bible, Stalinism, Nazism and the resurgence of populism today, a historian and philosopher explores human history to consider how the flow of information has shaped us, and our world, addressing the urgent choices we face as nonhuman intelligence threatens our very existence.

A very comprehensive discussion of AI. It’s a wonderful book, full of interesting information.     – DC      5 stars

 

Cursed Bunny by Chung, Bora

Blending horror, sci-fi and fairytales this collection of short stories from an increasingly popular Korean author includes a tale about a woman followed and haunted by her own bodily waste and a young monster forced into underground fight rings.

One of the weirdest books I’ve ever read. I really liked it.       – MH      4 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

A Pair of Wings by Hopson, Carole

The School for German Brides by Runyan, Aimie K.

The Silent Watcher by Methos, Victor

Campbell's Rambles by Fletcher, Patty L.

Within These Walls of Sorrow by Barratt, Amanda

Dogs of the Cariboo and Other Stories by Gentry, Mary

The Cruelest Month by Penny, Louise

Sacred Wilderness by Power, Susan

The Cypress Maze by Valpy, Fiona

Identity Unknown by Cornwell, Patricia

 

New Books

Sonny Boy by Pacino, Al

The Colony Club by Noble, Shelley

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by Waggoner, C. M.

White Robes and Broken Badges by Moore, Joe

Atlas Obscura - Wild Life by Giaimo, Cara

From Here to the Great Unknown: A Memoir by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Lisa Marie Presley planned to write a memoir for several years before her death. She began recording the stories that shape most of this book, supplemented by her daughter Riley Keough. Mother and daughter were obviously close, a constant in each other’s lives. Living in the reflection of Elvis, a rock and roll idol, shaped both women’s lives.

Lisa Marie discusses her childhood at Graceland, as well as being pulled back and forth between her father and mother after their divorce in 1973. The loss of her father at such a young age was no doubt the force that determined many of her life choices. Lisa Marie talks about her multiple marriages, including to Michael Jackson, and the deep love she had for her four children. She talks about her addictions and how they affected her and her family. Her son’s death by suicide was shocking, and as a mother, I found it heartbreaking.

Here’s where I was going into this book:

Elvis fan? Not especially, but I can appreciate how he shaped the rock and roll world. I don’t dislike him, but I’ve never bought or sought out any of his music. I remember where I was when he died in 1977, and my mom and aunts crying.

Lisa Marie? Sure, I liked her although she didn’t have a long musical career. I remember thinking she looked and sounded so much like her famous father. I even bought a couple of her CDs.

Riley? I knew that she was Lisa Marie’s daughter, an actor, and starred in Daisy Jones & the Six, which I still haven’t seen even though I loved the book/audiobook by Taylor Jenkins Reid. (Note to self: you definitely want to watch this!)

Did this book change my opinions on the Presley clan? I found this to be a touching and poignant memoir of a woman who was never going to have a normal life. Lisa Marie’s father’s celebrity was both a blessing and a curse, influencing how others treated her and how she looked at the world. I hope that daughters Riley, Finley, and Harper find a balance in life that their mother never did.

And I may just put on a little Lisa Marie Presley music on my drive home.

New Books in January!

 

Fiction

Balogh, Mary  Remember When:  Clarissa’s Story (Ravenswood)

Brennan, Allison  See How They Hide

Burke, Alafair  The Note

Byrne, James Chain Reaction

Crais, Robert  The Big Empty

Dailey, Janet Lie for a Million

Deveraux, Jude  Order of Swans

Dugoni, Robert  Hold Strong

Feeney, Alice  Beautiful Ugly

Finder, Joseph  The Oligarch’s Daughter

Freeman, Brian  Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Vendetta

Genova, Lisa  More or Less Maddy

Grippando, Jame  Grave Danger

Hendrix, Grady  Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

Hurston, Zora Neale  The Life of Herod the Great

Krentz, Jayne Ann Shattering Dawn

McFadden, Freida  The Crash

McMahon, John  Head Cases

Patterson, James  Holmes Is Missing

Pearsall, Kate  Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue

Perry, Thomas  Pro Bono

Stabenow, Dana  Abduction of a Slave (Eye of Isis)

Steel, Danielle Never Say Never

Theroux, Paul  The Vanishing Point:  Stories

Turrow, Scott  Presumed Guilty

Yarros, Rebecca  Onyx Storm

 

Non-Fiction

Campbell, Olivia  Sisters in Science:  How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History

Meltzer, Brad The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy—and Why It Failed

Patterson, James  The Texas Murders:  Everything is Bigger in Texas—Especially the Murder Cases

Pearl, Matthew  Save Our Souls:  The True Story of a Castaway Family, Treachery, and Murder