Nevermore: Sooley, An Event in Autumn, In Her Defense

 

Nevermore 6-23-26

Repoerted by Rita

 

Sooley by John Grisham

After seventeen-year-old Samuel "Sooley" Sooleymon receives a college scholarship to play basketball for North Carolina Central, he moves to Durham from his native, war-torn South Sudan, enrolls in classes, joins the team, and prepares to sit out his freshman season, but Sooley has a fierce determination to succeed so he can bring his family to America, working tirelessly on his game until he dominates everyone in practice, and when Sooley is called off the bench, the legend begins.

Overall, I found it to be a good book that I genuinely enjoyed, even though the ending left me a bit disappointed.     -MS     5 stars

An Event in Autumn: A Kurt Wallander Mystery by Henning Mankell

After nearly thirty years in the same job, Inspector Kurt Wallander is tired, restless, and itching to make a change. He is taken with a certain old farmhouse, perfectly situated in a quiet countryside with a charming, overgrown garden. There he finds the skeletal hand of a corpse in a shallow grave. Wallander's investigation takes him deep into the history of the house and the land, until finally the shocking truth about a long-buried secret is brought to light. 

This was a good book. I love the Wallander series.     -DC      5 stars

 

 

In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka

The whole country has been riveted by the beloved TV star and national treasure Anna Finbow, standing in court, accusing her daughter’s therapist Jean Guest of brainwashing her daughter Mary for her own financial gain. Jean insists Mary’s traumatic memories arise from her upbringing and her time studying at a prestigious art school in Rome; wounds only Jean’s therapy can heal. But as the trial unfolds, it’s Augusta “Gus” Bird, Anna’s former employee, a seemingly insignificant bystander, a nobody, who holds the key to unraveling the tangled web of lies and deceit.

It was AWFUL. I only finished it to fill a square for Summer Book Bingo.       -LK       2 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh by James Lasdun

How to Do Hard Things: Actual Real Life Advice on Friends, Love, Career, Wellbeing, Mindset, and More by Veronica Dearly

Below Stairs by Margaret Powell

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

The Library of Fates by Margot Harrison

If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss

 

New Book

Travels with Agatha Christie by David Suchet

See Also Proof: A Marjorie Trumaine Mystery by Larry D. Sweazy

Reviewed by Jeanne

Winters are always harsh in Dickinson, North Dakota, but this year of 1965 seems especially bad.  Marjorie Trumaine’s husband, Hank, succumbed to his injuries earlier in the year and now Marjorie is struggling to come to terms with her new status as a widow.  Living on a farm in a rural area where the closest neighbors are miles away adds to the difficulty, but Marjorie has her job as an indexer to help pay the bills—the many, many bills.  She’s not quite ready to deal with a lot of people yet, but agreed to have the Ladies Aid come by once a week, bringing food and checking on her. She knows they’ll disapprove of Shep the dog being inside the house but she doesn’t care.  He’s company.

This time the ladies also bring worrisome news.  A neighbor’s disabled fourteen year old daughter Tina has disappeared, and so far search parties have turned up nothing.  Marjorie is deeply troubled, knowing that the girl likely won’t survive long if she’s out in the cold. She bakes pies to take to the family, and insists on going with the sheriff to look for Tina. If there’s going to be bad news, Marjorie feels she would be the better choice to tell a grieving mother.

Instead, they find the body of a murdered man: a good man they’ve known for years.  But why was he here and who would have wanted to kill him?

Marjorie is one of my favorite characters.  I love her measured approach, careful planning, and how she conducts her life in addition to solving murders.  This one was a real stunner in several respects.  Her process as an indexer is fascinating and gives insight into her personality as well as the mystery.  (Full disclosure: when a new non- fiction book comes in, one of the first things I do is check for an index.  I am most disappointed if there isn’t one and the book drops a bit in my estimation.)

Sweazy is also adept at giving the reader a strong sense of place.  The flat fields in winter, the snow and ice, and bitter cold were well conveyed—so much so that for a moment I forgot that it’s actually summer and sweltering here in 2026.

Another very appealing aspect of the book is the era.  It brings back childhood memories, even if the geographic setting is very different.  There are rotary phones and pay phones, people smoke cigarettes, weather comes over the radio, and an animal in the house is shocking.  And there are telephone party lines, which were a great source of entertainment for my grandmother who loved to listen in on other people’s conversations. There’s not a computer or smart phone in sight, and not many television sets. There’s a sense of isolation, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

As a part of this era, Sweazy uses some terms not usually heard these days as he explains in an author’s note.  I appreciated that, as sometimes historical novels will use current language which jars me right out of the story. 

The only sad part is that there are just three entries in this series.  It’s one of the rare series I think I am going to re-read because these books are just that good.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

A number of people receive invitations to move into a new apartment building with low rent and wonderful amenities—even a doorman. There is commercial space for those who would like to open a business, and some do.  Some of the apartments have a view of the old Westing house, a largely deserted mansion where wealthy businessman Samuel Westing used to live before he moved away.

One day, some of the tenants see smoke from the chimney.

The next thing they know, sixteen of the tenants are called to a lawyer’s office for the reading of Samuel Westing’s will.  They have been named his heirs, but only one will get the bulk of the fortune—the one who solves the puzzle.  They are divided up into seemingly very mis-matched pairs and each pair gets an envelope with some words.  Each team is given $10,000.

Now it’s up to them to figure out the mystery.

The Westing Game is a children’s book written in 1978.  I’d heard good things about it for years, but had never gotten around to reading it until the Book Bingo prompt: read a book for children or young adults.  I wasn’t sure what to expect; in the very first chapters when I figured out a clue very early, I was disappointed and lowered my expectations.

I needn't have. What followed turned out to be one of the most engaging books I’d read in a while.  It brims with interesting characters, and while I’ll admit I was a little confused at times but I ended up absolutely loving this book.  Characters I didn’t think I liked at all turned out to be people I admired; some weren’t who I thought they were; and some characters who seemed to have little to offer were ones who touched me most.

I really liked the diversity of the characters; I expected children in a children’s book, but the characters were mostly adults and teens. People were also from different socio-economic statuses and backgrounds:  students, professional people, business owners, and retired people. One of the main characters is Turtle Wexler, a young girl who lives in the shadow of her beautiful older sister Angela. Turtle has a habit of kicking people in the shins when annoyed, and Turtle is annoyed a lot.  Theo, son of a coffee shop owner, is a frequent target, but track star Douglas Hoo comes in for his share. Turtle is paired with Flora, a sweet older woman who is a dressmaker. Dignified Judge J.J. Ford’s partner is the cheerful and somewhat excitable doorman, Sandy McSouthers. Social climber and aspiring interior decorator Grace, Turtle’s mother, is paired with James Shin Hoo, Douglas’ father, who is a frustrated restaurant owner and inventor.  And so on.

In between playing the game, various other mysteries arise and I fully admit I was taken by surprise.  The biggest surprise of all was how much I loved this book.

Nevermore: Happily Ever After and Everything in Between, Flesh, King's Mountain

 

Nevermore 6-16-26

Reported by Rita

 

Happily Ever After and Everything in Between by Deborah Tung

Inspired by Debbie Tung’s marriage to her extrovert husband, this collection of comics captures the essence of everyday love—showcasing both the sweet moments and the mundane experiences.

This was a fun, quick read - I really liked it.      -CD       4 stars 

 

Flesh by David Szalay

Teenaged István lives with his mother in a quiet apartment complex in Hungary. Shy and new in town, he is a stranger to the social rituals practiced by his classmates and is soon isolated, drawn instead into a series of events that leave him forever a stranger to peers, his mother, and himself. In the years that follow, István is born along by the goodwill, or self-interest, of strangers, charting a rocky yet upward trajectory that lands him further from his childhood, and the defining events that abruptly ended it, than he could possibly have imagined.

It's minimalistic, with really short conversations. It was interesting and made me think, but I was kind of hoping for more of a plot.    -VC     4 stars

 

King's Mountain by Sharyn McCrumb

John Sevier had not taken much interest in the American Revolution, he was too busy fighting Indians in the Carolinas and taming the wilderness. But when an arrogant British officer threatened his settlement—promising to burn the farms and kill families—the war became personal.

That arrogant officer is Patrick Ferguson of the British Army—who is both charmingly antagonistic and surprisingly endearing. Inventor of the Ferguson rifle, and the devoted lover to his mistress, Virginia Sal, Patrick becomes a delightful anti-hero under McCrumb’s watchful eye.

Through varying perspectives, King’s Mountain is a saga of the Carolina Overmountain Men—the militia organized by Sevier (who would later become the first governor of Tennessee) and their victory in 1780 against the Tories in a battle that Thomas Jefferson later called, "The turning point of the American Revolution."

 

War is a depressing subject, but the book is good and worth reading.       -DC       4 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned

We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Before It's Gone by Jonathan Vigiotti

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

All the Little Hopes by Leah Weiss

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

 

New Books

I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen: And Other Lies I Think Will Make Me Happy by Kate Strickler

Lidie by Jane Smiley

The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline

The Geography Book by DK

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Winter in Montreal can be very cold and snowy indeed, and Agnes Aubert is desperate to find a new place for her cat shelter.  The old shelter sustained a great deal of damage when some out-of-control magicians (are there any other kind?) staged a duel in the streets.  It’s said that one of them might even have been the Witch King himself, the notorious Havelock Renard, already wanted for nearly causing the end of the world a few years back.

It really doesn’t matter who was involved. The results speak for themselves.  The cat shelter had already been struggling; people tend to see cats as vermin, not pets, and while her sister helps as she can, Agnes has to carry most of the load.  Agnes is also still grieving for her late husband, Robin, who helped found the shelter. Now they’re almost out of money and have to find a place to stay before winter sets in in earnest.

But Agnes is on a mission to find them all a safe place to stay. She finally finds someon who is willing to rent a space to her at a surprisingly—perhaps suspiciously-- reasonable rate. It isn’t long before Agnes begins to wonder if illegal magic is going on, but as long as she can care for the cats and help them be adopted into loving homes she will turn a blind eye.

Which Agnes is able to do until the shop comes under attack from a witch who believes Havelock Renard himself is on the premises. That’s bad enough but what’s worse is that she may be right.

Despite the admonition not to judge a book by its cover, I totally chose this book because of the delightful artwork that adorns the front. I was not disappointed.  It accurately portrays the feel of the book, the 1920s time period, and the charming contents.  Agnes is a no-nonsense, highly organized woman whose courage and determination have seen her through many trials.  Her sister Elise is much more glib and silver-tongued, but intent on seeing Agnes safe and settled.  Havelock is abrupt and darkly handsome, or Agnes thinks he would be if he weren’t such a scoundrel.

He is also allergic to cats.

I thoroughly enjoyed the vividly realized setting of the book.  I could almost smell the baked goods from the oven, feel the cold wind and snow down my neck, and enjoy the sights in the shops along the street. 

Then there were the cats: the haughty and sometimes malicious Your Majesty, a regal long-haired tuxedo who only tolerates Agnes; the somewhat addlepated Banshee who silently yowls; and dear old Thoreau, an elderly cat who endeared himself to Agnes and to me.

This is a light but fun tale of magic mixed with adventure, danger, spells, and most of all, felines. Please forgive me but I have to say it:  this book was like catnip to me.

Moonlight Murder by Uzma Jalaluddin

Reviewed by Jeanne

Nearly twenty years ago, Kausar Khan’s sixteen year old son Ali was killed by a hit and run driver.  His death sent her into a spiral of grief and depression. She moved away from  Toronto to avoid being reminded of Ali’s death. Kausar had not planned on coming back, but when her daughter needed her help Kausar steeled herself to face the memories from the past.

Now her granddaughter Maleeha is asking for Kausar’s help. One of her classmates, a gifted writer named Qasim, has been found dead.  The police think it was a suicide but Maleeha is sure he would never have killed himself and implores her grandmother to find the truth.  Kausar knows what it is to grieve the loss of a child, so she begins to investigate Qasim’s death. The similarities in the two cases make Kausar decide that perhaps it is time to find answers about Ali’s death as well.  Perhaps she can put two ghosts to rest.

But there are other things going on in the neighborhood as well, and Kausar may be putting herself in more danger than she knows.

I loved the first book in the series, Detective Aunty, so I was delighted to have a second book.  Kausar is a wonderful character.  She’s been wounded but has found the strength to come back to help her family. She is still learning how to navigate life after the death of her husband, but her compassion and intelligence will see her through. 

Most of all, I loved learning about the South Asian culture.  It’s one of the things that draws me to fiction, discovering other ways of life and beliefs.  Wrap that up in a good mystery and compelling characters, and I’m one happy reader.

Here's hoping for a third book!

Nevermore: Calamity Club, St. Dale, Familiaris

Nevermore 6-9-26

Reported by Rita

 

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

In 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, Prohibition is on the wane, and the Great Depression is tightening its grip. Poor and rich folks alike have fallen on hard times, even as the old social order remains. For women on the margins, the options are few and the price of dignity and self-determination is unbearably high.

Eleven-year-old Meg, one of the unadoptable “big girls” at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, fights each day to keep her spirit unbowed. Birdie, unmarried and outspoken, has come to Oxford on a mission to ask her social-climbing sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. And Charlie is a woman with a past, running low on luck but driven by fire, fury, and grit. When their fates converge, they come up with an audacious plan to take back control of their lives. Together, they form an unlikely sisterhood—but in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife, women’s freedom is fragile, and making an enemy can have dire consequences, will the price they pay for their outrageous risk-taking be too high?

I listened to the audiobook and loved it! 10 out of 5 stars!      -WJ        5+ stars

 

 

St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb

This is a modern-day retelling of the Canterbury Tales, following a group of unlikely friends on the Dale Earnhardt Memorial Pilgrimage. The “Number Three Pilgrims” travel to several of the sites of prominent victories of the late NASCAR legend and North Carolina native. In the course of their journey, they visit Piedmont, North Carolina, “the land of textile mills and furniture factories, of tobacco fields and hog farms — and race tracks.” At stops at the Richard Petty museum in Randolph County, the North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, and the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, the pilgrims find solace and inspiration in the life and legacy of Earnhardt.

It was good. I learned a lot about racing.      -AH       5 stars

 

 

Familiaris by David Wroblewski

It is spring 1919, and John Sawtelle's imagination has gotten him into trouble ... again. Now John and his newlywed wife, Mary, along with their two best friends and their three dogs, are setting off for Wisconsin's north woods, where they hope to make a fresh start—and, with a little luck, discover what it takes to live a life of meaning, purpose, and adventure. But the place they are headed for is far stranger and more perilous than they realize, and it will take all their ingenuity, along with a few new friends—human, animal, and otherworldly—to realize their dreams.

The characters are unusual, but the story is enjoyable.       -WJ       5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

The Dark Hours (DCI Harry Grimm, #13) by David J. Gatward

In the Fields of Fatherless Children by Pamela Steele

The Safe Room by Lisa Unger

The Garden of Lost Souls by Kelly Bowen

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The Idiot by Elif Batuman

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Misadventures With a Professor by Sierra Simone

 

 

New Books

 

Art From the Garden by Kerry Michaels

The Family Man by James Lasdun