Saving Graces by David Robinson

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Cemeteries are the repositories of not only physical remains, but the memories of those who once lived, loved, and mourned losses.

Photographing European cemeteries, David Robinson became aware of the many statues of visibly grieving women. First he questioned whether the statues represented women buried at those locations. Could they be religious figures? Or angels?

These statues, which Robinson soon dubbed the “Saving Graces”, did not appear to fit any of these categories. Many are swooning across graves with their carved clothing in disarray as if they are overwhelmed with grief. Some are reaching up to heaven. Some are turned into themselves. Others appear to be resigned, but still mournful.

In stark contrast, men represented in the cemeteries are usually standing upright, showing a strong moral character, and definitely not showing any emotion which would be perceived as weakness. Women, however, carry the sorrow.

The book contains a brief introduction, foreword, and afterword, with the bulk of the pages letting the captioned photographs tell their own story.

I came across this book while cleaning up books that had been browsed or returned. It is shelved at 730.94 ROB, not a section that I necessarily would think to browse myself. 730 encompasses: “Arts and recreation sculpture, ceramics, and metalwork sculpture, and related arts.” I can appreciate the artistry required to create such sculptures, and I can appreciate the emotions felt by those who commissioned these works.

High Spirits: A Haunted Haven Mystery by Carol J. Perry

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Maureen Doherty has had a lot of life changes recently, not the least of which is inheriting an inn in Florida through rather mysterious circumstances.  Not just any inn, either:  a haunted inn.  Fortunately, the dead tolerate the living well and vice versa.

Now all Maureen has to do is make the inn profitable.

Well, that and solve the murder of one of the guests.

I am a long-time fan of Perry’s Witch City mysteries set in Salem, so I decided to give this series a try.  As in that series, the main character is an intelligent woman with a connection to the supernatural, but isn’t fazed by it. More importantly to me, the supernatural elements don’t automatically solve the crime.  She also gives a good supporting cast and gives the heroine other concerns to occupy her between clues.  In this case, she’s working a new promotion for the inn:  a dinner and a movie combo, using the town’s old theater and a schedule of Christmas movies, such as the The Bishop’s Wife and Home Alone. Perry tends to toss in names of classic movies or tv shows in her books, and I am delighted to see someone else remembers some of these gems.

I did enjoy the book and will read more in the series.  However, I picked this one up with the idea of going back and reading the first one later, but that idea was quashed in the first pages as we are told who the murderer was in the first book. In fact, just in case the reader didn’t catch it the first time, the information is repeated.  If you want to read them all, I would suggest reading in order, unless you’re more interested in the characters and setting and less in solving the mystery.

My only other quibble is with the police officer on the case whom I found annoying. Then again, I wasn’t crazy about the police detective in the Witch City  mysteries either, but for somewhat different reasons.

The ghosts add a lot to the story, just by being fun. Maureen can see and interact with them, and so can her dog, Finn.  In fact, fashionista ghost Lorna reads Finn stories between finding new outfits and accessories.

Books in the series are:

Be My Ghost

High Spirits

Haunting License

The Spirit Moves

Double Knot Untied (November 2026)

Nevermore: Don’t Tell a Soul, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations

Nevermore 4-14-26   Reported by Rita

 

Don't Tell a Soul by David Rosenfelt

Tim Wallace’s wife died in a boating accident several months ago. Tim was the only eyewitness, and one New Jersey cop is sure he killed her. He didn’t, but even if the police eventually clear his name, he’ll never get over this terrible tragedy.

On New Year’s Eve, his two best friends and business partners finally convince him to go out for the first time since Maggie’s death, and at their neighborhood pub just a few minutes before midnight, things in Tim Wallace’s life go from bad to worse. “Can you keep a secret? A really big one?” a drunken stranger asks him. Before Tim can say anything or turn away, the man confesses to a months-old murder, even offering as proof the location of the woman’s body. “Now it’s your problem,” he says and walks away.

When the man turns out to have been telling the truth, Tim’s life and work are put under the microscope again by the cops, and this time they’re not giving up. But neither is Tim, even when things keep getting worse for him, and eventually he realizes he’s the only person who can figure out what’s really going on---even if it kills him.

I liked this book. It's intriguing, funny and flows well.     - MF     5 stars

 

A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Henry David Thoreau

A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers is a reflective travel narrative in which Henry David Thoreau recounts a weeklong boat journey he took with his brother along the Concord and Merrimack rivers. Blending observations of nature with philosophy, history, poetry, and personal reflection, Thoreau uses the trip as a way to explore themes of simplicity, self-reliance, spirituality, and humanity's relationship with nature. The book is less about the physical journey and more about inner growth and thoughtful engagement with the natural world.

I thought this was a contemplative and soothing read.     - AH       5 stars

 

Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations by William H. McRaven

Admiral William H. McRaven is a part of American military history, having been involved in some of the most famous missions in recent memory, including the capture of Saddam Hussein, the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips, and the raid to kill Osama bin Laden. Sea Stories begins in 1960 at the American Officers' Club in France, where Allied officers and their wives gathered to have drinks and tell stories about their adventures during World War II--the place where a young Bill McRaven learned the value of a good story. Sea Stories is an unforgettable look back on one man's incredible life, from childhood days sneaking into high-security military sites to a day job of hunting terrorists and rescuing hostages.

This book is well-written with lots of details about how the military operates.   - KM    4 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned:

 

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

The True True Story of Raja the Gullible by Rabih Alameddine

How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger

The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger

All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani

The Engine House by Rhys Dylan

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Rebel of the Regency by Ann Foster

Tin Soldiers by Alex Smith

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin

Gray Mountain by John Grisham

 

New Books:

 

Lonely Planet Offbeat North America by Lonely Planet

A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides by Gisèle Pelicot

No Friend to This House by Natalie Haynes

The Supreme Gift: Love Is the Greatest Thing in the World by Paulo Coelho

Young Man in a Hurry by Gavin Newsome

Python's Kiss by Louise Erdrich

How Flowers Made Our World: The Story of Nature's Revolutionaries by David George Haskell

The Stars Look Like Home by TJ Klune

Kristin was able to read an advance copy of an upcoming TJ Klune book.  Here is her sneak peek review:

Release date January 12, 2027

Reviewed by Kristin

He opened his eyes at two weeks old and his first thoughts were “I…I…am? I…am. I am! I am! I am!” First he was “the boy”. That’s what his mother called him, after all. Weeks later, he decided that his name should be Wolf. Mother said that dogs used to be wolves.  Or maybe Wolf Star. Or maybe even Wolf Immortal Star. Because his mother said he was a star, and stars are forever. Maybe Forever Wolf…

Forever Wolf finally found his humans, and they called him Burke.

Burke is an energetic puppy, a bit mouthy (he has so much to say, and it’s not his fault that the humans can’t understand his language), and absolutely ecstatic about the world around him. Going to a new home is a little scary, but Burke falls in love with his humans almost immediately. Challenges, change, heartbreak, and new loves ensue, as Burke finds the perfect family for him.

TJ Klune is a magical kind of storyteller who can weave a heartrending tale from any point of view, and in this case he has taken the perspective of a dog. In this fantasy world, we get the inside view of a newborn pup who takes a circuitous route to find his perfect place in the world.

I am always amazed at how I am so invested in Klune’s characters. The House in the Cerulean Sea and Somewhere Beyond the Sea are a couple of my favorite books of all time. Under the Whispering Door absolutely made me sob. We Burned So Bright was a road trip across the country in search of what two parents had lost. I could go on…but I will just say that Klune has really found his voice and I will always be looking for more of his writing.

Klune makes a promise at the very beginning to quell the fears of animal lovers everywhere. He says: “The dog does not die in this. Within these pages, he is forever.”

Cinder House by Freya Marske

Reviewed by Jeanne

Ella is quite the homebody—literally.  Murdered at sixteen, she is tethered to her house while her stepmother Patrice and her two unpleasant daughters still order Ella around.  Ella longs to escape, to experience life beyond the house but leaving the house seems to be impossible.  She contents herself with writing letters, hoping to find someone who knows enough about ghosts to help. Then she discovers a way to leave, but only for a short distance and only until midnight.  Even so, the chance to see people (even if they can’t see her, and even if it’s unpleasant when they walk through her) is intoxicating.  She loves attending the markets, the ballet, and the theatre. She even meets someone who can see and talk with her, even if it’s someone Ella is sure she can’t trust.

Then word comes that the King and Queen are holding a ball and inviting all the eligible women of the kingdom. Prince Jule will be there to dance and to choose a bride. Ella’s stepmother and her daughters are excited and planning elaborate dresses to wear.

And Ella decides she is going to the ball—no matter the price.

Yet another take on the Cinderella story was not going to be at the top of my reading list until I found out that she was a ghost.  The possibilities were intriguing and I’m happy to say that this novella went beyond my expectations.  It’s atmospheric, dark, a bit dangerous, and yet very satisfying.  I really admired the way the author kept so many of the features of the original while definitely making the story her own.

A memorable tale, well told.

Nevermore: Proof of Heaven, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Blackout Book Club

 

Nevermore 3-31-26

Reported by Rita

 

Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife by Eben Alexander

A scientist's case for the afterlife... Thousands of people have had near-death experiences, but scientists have argued that they are impossible. Dr. Eben Alexander was one of those scientists. A highly trained neurosurgeon, Alexander knew that NDEs feel real, but are simply fantasies produced by brains under extreme stress. Then, Dr. Alexander's own brain was attacked by a rare illness. The part of the brain that controls thought and emotion--and in essence makes us human--shut down completely. For seven days he lay in a coma. Then, as his doctors considered stopping treatment, Alexander's eyes popped open. He had come back. Alexander's recovery is a medical miracle. But the real miracle of his story lies elsewhere. While his body lay in coma, Alexander journeyed beyond this world and encountered an angelic being who guided him into the deepest realms of super-physical existence. There he met, and spoke with, the Divine source of the universe itself. Alexander's story is not a fantasy. Before he underwent his journey, he could not reconcile his knowledge of neuroscience with any belief in heaven, God, or the soul. Today Alexander is a doctor who believes that true health can be achieved only when we realize that God and the soul are real and that death is not the end of personal existence but only a transition. This story would be remarkable no matter who it happened to.

I found this book to be interesting, entertaining, and enjoyable.       -BP     4 stars

 

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Internet star Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, makes her literary debut. Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives--the ones we’d like to pretend never happened-- are in fact the ones that define us. Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor. Chapters include: “Stanley the Magical, Talking Squirrel”; “A Series of Angry Post-It Notes to My Husband”; “And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane.” Pictures with captions (no one would believe these things without proof) accompany the text.

I thought this was fun and funny, but there was too much profanity for me to finish the book.     -PP       3 stars

 

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green

An impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European Front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn't be more different--a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, an exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker.

It was fun and interesting. I really liked it.     -WJ     5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain

Redline by Alex Smith

Hungry Ghosts by Jasper Becker

The World's Worst Assistant by Sona Movsesian

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Saving Sadie: How a Dog That No One Wanted Inspired the World by Joal Derse Dauer

6:40 to Montreal by Eva Jurczyk

Birdwatcher's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Advice, Insight, and Information for Enthusiastic Birders by Marcus H. Schneck, Marcus Schneck, Tom Warhol

Bird: The Definitive Visual Guide by Peter Frances

 

New Books

Rebel of the Regency by Ann Foster

American Struggle by Jon Meacham

How the World Ran Out of Everything by Peter S. Goodman

The Sheep Detectives, aka Three Bags Full

There's a new movie in theaters entitled "The Sheep Detectives," based on the book Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann.  I went to see it this weekend and found it delightful. I may or may not have teared up.  The movie varies quite a bit from the book as far as the plot goes, but the heart of it is the same: a flock of sheep dedicated to finding out what happened to George.  The book, however, has some darker aspects than does the movie, which is aimed at being family friendly. That said, the movie doesn't shy away from some difficult topics. 

While some of the sheep underwent name changes, I was very happy to find that Mopple remained and had a large part to play in the movie.  

The movie's setting is England, not Ireland. Also, the book read to the sheep at the end of the movie is very different in the book.  

The following is my original brief review from 2011, to which I will add that the sequel is now available in English. And yes, DorothyL is still going strong. 

 I belong to DorothyL, a mystery listserv where folks discuss, among other things, mystery novels.  Recently some have read Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, a sheep mystery.  I'm not kidding.  The sheep try to solve the mystery.  Of course, they don't quite understand the mystery--they're sheep, after all, and therein lies the delight.  Their shepherd has met with foul play and they really aren't sure what will become of them.  He was a rather nice shepherd who read aloud to the sheep, which is why they had some grasp of human doings.  One sheep, the cleverest, was Miss Maple and while there was an explanation of how she got her name (involving syrup) I am fairly sure the resemblance to Miss Marple was not unintentional.  My favorite sheep was Mopple the Whale, who was very large and while he was not terribly bright, he never forgot anything.  He reminded me of someone.  I can't think who.

Mopple, er, Melon waiting for a story.  Or a snack.  Preferably both.

 The book is clever and very well written.  Even more astonishingly, this sheepish story set in the hills of Ireland was written by a German. True, she was studying English literature at the time, but still it's pretty amazing.  She's done a sequel in which the sheep get to travel to France.  Alas, it hasn't been translated into English yet.