Reported by Ambrea
This week, Nevermore started things off with a political thriller based on true events: The Man Who Loved Dogs by Leonardo Padura. Recounting the assassination of Leon Trotsky, The Man Who Loved Dogs
is a fictionalized story of Ramón Mercader, the assassin—and Iván
Cárdenas Maturell, who unexpectedly becomes drawn into the conflict.
Our reader said Padura’s novel was excellent. Although she was still
working through the story, she enjoyed The Man Who Loved Dogs immensely and highly recommended it to her fellow readers.
Following in the vein of fictionalized history, Nevermore checked out A Well Behaved Woman
by Therese Anne Fowler. Alva Smith’s family was left destitute after
the Civil War, but, by a twist of fate, Alva met and married William
Kissam Vanderbilt, joining on of the wealthiest families in America.
Determined to win respect from the old-money circles of New York, Alva
spent years designing and building mansions, hosting grand balls,
arranging for her daughter to marry a duke—all while defying social
conventions. Our reader said she rather liked A Well Behaved Woman.
She found the historical parts interesting, but she also thought it
created a “good love story” and offered an intriguing look an
unconventional female in history.
Next, Nevermore shared Careless in Red,
a Thomas Lynley mystery by Elizabeth George. After the murder of his
wife, Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley retreats to Cornwall to
escape the painful memories—until he stumbles across the body of a young
man who has fallen to his death. First a witness, and then a suspect,
Lynley must let go of the past if he hopes to help solve a murder and
stop a killer. Our reader, who is a very big fan of Elizabeth George,
said she did not enjoy Careless in Red as much as she hoped.
“This book is incredibly long, and I skipped thorugh a bit,” she
admitted. Overall, George’s novel was okay, but not great—certainly not
up to her usual standards for a Lynley mystery.
Skipping back to historical fiction, Nevermore took a look at a new novel by John Grisham, The Reckoning.
In Clanton, Mississippi, during the fall of 1946, Pete Banning—a
decorated World War II hero, a friend, a father, a neighbor—went into
town and committed a shocking crime. With no answers, no motive, and no
confessions forthcoming, the local sheriff and Banning’s lawyers are
stumped. Our reader said she enjoyed The Reckoning. Although
it has lots of tangents, especially as it delves into Banning’s
experiences in the Philippines during World War II, and more “fluff”
than necessary, it was a good mystery and worth reading.
Last, but not least, Nevermore read The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old. A novel written by Peter de Smet, The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen tells
the story of Hendrik Groen as he deals with the daily trials of growing
older in a retirement community. To fight back against his age—and the
retirement home—he helps create the Old But Not Dead Yet Club in the
hopes of showing that there is still life to be lived. Our reader
absolutely adored The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen. Although
occasionally disheartening and slightly tragic, this novel was
wonderfully written and unexpectedly hopeful. She highly recommended it
to her fellow readers, especially those who enjoyed A Man Called Ove.
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