Now You See It by Carol J. Perry

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Newlywed Lee Barrett is taking on yet another new job at WICH-TV, Salem’s aptly-lettered local TV station. This time she is “Historical Documentary Chief Executive,” working on features that deal with the town’s storied past. Of course, this is in addition to all her other jobs at the station, but at least she’s getting a chance to be in front of the camera again. A new museum dedicated to New England history will be opening soon, so Lee is covering the final renovations and installations for their first exhibit, “Seafaring New England.” There will be some dazzling exhibits, including some very rare and near priceless items: Chinese porcelain, jewels from India, and more.

Lee’s new husband, Detective Pete Mondello, is also taking an interest in the exhibit but not for the same reasons: a delivery man who was bringing in items for the exhibition is found murdered in a pile of leaves.  Oddly, nothing seems to have been taken. But then Lee’s psychic senses begin to show her images and she soon finds herself reporting on more than ships and cargo.

This is lucky number thirteen in the Witch City Mystery series, though you don’t necessarily have to read them in order. For me, part of the pleasure in these books is touching base with all the characters, who feel like old friends by now.  I adore O’Ryan, Lee’s cat who may be more than he seems; her Aunt Ibby, reference librarian and amateur sleuth who helps Lee with her research; and River North, who is a practicing witch and TV movie host who reads Tarot for Lee. You may notice that I left Pete out of the list, not because I dislike him but to be honest, I find him a rather bland character in the middle of so many interesting ones.

One thing I have always loved about this series is that I learn from it.  There’s always a look behind the scenes at a TV station, but usually there’s something else connected with the mystery.  This time there’s some fascinating background about the shipping trade viewed in part through family history of some of the characters.  The descriptions are always vivid: I could almost see some of the exhibits.  The solutions are clever and never come out of left field.

This is one of my favorite cozy series, and long may it sail!

New Fiction in October

 

Adams, Ellery  The Tattered Cover (Secret, Book, and Scone)

Albom, Mitch Twice

Andrews, Donna  Five Golden Wings (Meg Lanslow)

Armstrong, Kelley  The Haunting of Payne’s Hollow

Banville, John  Venetian Vespers

Beaton, M. C. Sugar and Spite (Agatha Raisin)

Brett, Simon Mrs. Pargeter’s Past

Briggs, Patricia  Blind Date with a Werewolf

Brunstetter, Richelle  The Amish Ballerina

Carr, Jack Cry Havoc (Tom Reece)

Child, Lee  Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories

Coben, Harlan & Reese Witherspoon  Gone Before Goodbye

Colgan, Jenny  The Secret Christmas Library

Connelly, Michael  The Proving Ground (Lincoln Lawyer)

Cornwell, Patricia  Sharp Force (Scarpetta)

DeMille, Nelson The Tin Men (Scott Brodie & Maggie Taylor)

Freeman, Brian  Photograph

Gish, Jen Bad Bad Girl

Graham, Heather The Sword of Light

Gregory, Philippa The Boleyn Traitor

Grisham, John  The Widow

Hannah, Sophie  The Last Death of the Year (Hercule Poirot)

Hannon, Irene  Out of Time

Hazelwood, Ali  Mate

Hill, Joe  King Sorrow

Hunter, Stephen  The Gun Man Jackson Swagger:  A Western

Karon, Jan  My Beloved (Mitford)

Kashiwai, Hisasi  Menu of Happiness (Kamogawa Food Detectives)

Kellerman, Jonathan & Jesse Coyote Hills (Clay Edison)

Klavan, Andrew  After That, the Dark (Cameron Winter)

Lee, Harper  The Land of Sweet Forever: Stories and Essays

Macomber, Debbie A Ferry Merry Christmas

Mackesy, Charlie  Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse, and the Storm

McFadden, Freida The Intruder

Mizushima, Margaret  Dying Cry (Timber Creek K-9)

Newman, Catherine  Wreck

Patterson, James  The Picasso Heist

Penny, Louise  The Black Wolf

Peterson, Tracie  A Moment to Love

Reich, Christopher  The Tourists

Rose, Jeneva  Dating After the End of the World

Sparks, Nicholas  Remain: A Supernatural Love Story

Stevens, Chevy The Hitchhikers

Nevermore: Fighting Words, Murder on the Orient Express: Graphic Novel, Milkweed Lands

 

Nevermore 9-9-25

Reported by Rita

 

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful that they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf -- her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud.

A good look into the foster system; very well done. A beautiful story of two sisters who have no one else. Quick, easy read.     -NH     5 stars

 

Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel by Bob Al-Greene (Illustrator, Adapter), Agatha Christie

Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is the murderer.

Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again.

This beautiful, full-color graphic novel adaptation brings this favorite mystery to life--perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike.

It was fun and I loved the artwork.     -CD     5 stars

 

The Milkweed Lands: An Epic Story of One Plant: Its Nature and Ecology by Eric Lee-Mäder, Beverly Duncan (Illustrations)

Delve into this fascinating appreciation of milkweed, an often-overlooked plant, and discover an amazing range of insects and organisms that depend on it as the seasons unfold, with this collaboration between a noted ecologist and an award-winning botanical illustrator. Ecologist Eric Lee-Mäde r and noted botanical artist Beverly Duncan have teamed up to create this unique exploration of the complex ecosystem that is supported by the remarkable milkweed plant, often overlooked or dismissed as a roadside weed. With stunning, up-close illustrations and engaging text, they trace every stage of the plant's changes and evolutions throughout the seasons, including germination, growth, flowering, and seed development.

An amazing book filled with lots of information and great illustrations.      -MS       5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned: 

Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony by Lee Miller

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less by Jim Vandehei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz

Doonesbury: Peace Out, Dawg! by G.B. Trudeau

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion by Julie Satow

  

New Books: 

The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox

 The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney

Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves by Johnathan Walton

A History of Ghosts, Spirits, and the Supernatural

Reviewed by Jeanne

This is a DK production, so of course it’s packed with information and illustrations.  It's arranged chronologically, starting with the ancient world, antiquity to medieval, and then by centuries, ending with 1900 and beyond.  The coverage is world-wide; from Celtic mythology to Egyptian to Arabic to Mesoamerican and all points in between.  Ghosts, jinn, dybbuks, mermaids, the Wild Hunt, Ouija boards, urban legends, they’re all here in the pages of this book.  While I would be tempted to read the whole thing through, I have to confess I have skipped around a bit to read the sections I thought most intriguing. Most of the entries are fairly brief, just a page or two, but enough to give a good overview and to send readers in search of more in-depth information for those topics they find most appealing.

One section I read first deals with fairies, the “wee folk,” who appear in folklore all over the world.  There’s no set description—some are beautiful, some ugly; some have wings, some not—but they are all dangerous.  They may not be malevolent but they do live by their own rules and for those that break them, the consequences can be dire.  Of course, our images of fairies have changed over the centuries, and been influenced by literature, including Pinocchio and Peter Pan. There was also a reference to the (in)famous Cottingley Fairies of the 1920s.

The Wild Hunt also caught my eye, as I have come across many references to it over the years but many details seemed to differ.  Again, this is a concept which crosses many cultures, thought the article deals mainly with the European variants: the pack of hounds in Britain; Odin and Valkyries in Scandinavia; or the Sluda Sidhe, fairies who are out to get humans in Ireland.  A variant in Enlgand has the antlered Herne the Hunter leading the Wild Hunt. All are considered bad luck at best and downright dangerous at worst.

One I didn’t know about was the “waiting women” of Chinese folklore.  These can be ghosts or other supernatural women who die for love and wait for their beloved to either join them or else recognize them so they can be together.  Some stories have happy endings but others have the poor waiting woman forever waiting.

The later chapters deal with more modern manifestations of supernatural lore, including spiritualism (and the Fox sisters, who were famous mediums in the 1800s), ghost photography, paranormal romance novels (think Twilight), ghostly tours, paranormal investigations, and ghosts in popular culture. 

It’s a great book to browse and, wonder of wonders, it has an index so that you can look up, say, Krampus or Bloody Mary. I really enjoyed dipping into it.  While sometimes the information is a bit scant, it’s a great place to find things you want to investigate more thoroughly—or just enjoy the bits of information and move on.

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Madeline Hill (Mad) and her mom have a farm in Coalfield, Tennessee. When a man pulls up to their farm stand one day, Mad assumes he’s just a last minute customer hoping for some produce. But no, Reuben Hill (Rube) tells her that he believes they are half siblings, and that their serial monogamist father may have left a trail of other children across the country from Massachusetts to California. And, oh yeah, would she like to drive across the country with him in a rented PT Cruiser to find the others?

The elder Mr. Hill left Rube’s mother thirty years ago, and Mad’s mother twenty years ago, so it appears that he had a habit of reinventing himself. Was he a writer, a farmer, a soccer coach, or something else entirely? Like a chameleon, he appeared to change professions, wives/partners, and geography whenever he felt the need.

Mad and Rube begin a journey of self-exploration that does much more than take them across state lines. In an attempt to find the answers they seek, they discover more family while uncovering a family history they never knew.

Author Kevin Wilson is the master of crazy happenings; two of his previous characters burst into flames with strong emotions in Nothing to See Here. His humor and wit are biting as well as entertaining. I also enjoyed Now Is Not the Time to Panic where a homemade poster causes ripples of paranoia across the country.

If you’re looking for more road trip fiction, I suggest He Started It by Samantha Downing, The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, or Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler. (Okay, I admit I’m just about to read that last one, but it certainly sounds good. If you get to it before me, let me know!)

Nevermore: Beyond Summer, Blue Arabesque, The War that Saved My Life

 

Nevermore 9-2-25

Reported by Rita

Beyond Summer (Blue Sky Hill #3) by Lisa Wingate
Tam Lambert and Shasta Williams, new neighbors in a changing Dallas neighborhood called Blue Sky Hill, team up to fight a corrupt deal that could force them from their homes, but find their friendships and loyalties tested in the process.

A sweet story about friends solving life's problems together. I felt like it didn't have a real conclusion. -WJ 5 stars

Blue Arabesque: A Search for the Sublime by Patricia Hampl
The MacArthur Fellowship recipient, author of Virgin Time, describes her fascination with a Matisse painting during her post-college years, which prompted intricate meditations on the painting's symbolism as well as her own international travels.

This was my second reading of this lovely book. It's really interesting and beautiful. I love it! -DC 4 stars


The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada's twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn't waste a minute - she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan - and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

It was a good, quick read. Enjoyable. - PP 3 stars


Other Books Mentioned:

My Friends by Fredrik Backman
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution by Pyotr Kropotkin
The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
25 Real Patient Stories: A Junior Doctor's Journey through the Highs and Lows of Medicine by Monika Schneider
Where Have All the Birds Gone?: Nature in Crisis by Rebecca E. Hirsch
The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting
Refuge by Dot Jackson


New Books:

The Enchanted Greenhouse (Spellshop, #2) by Sarah Beth Durst
American Mythology by Giano Cromley

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

In October 1949 a New York author wrote her first letter to Marks & Co., a used bookseller in London. She had seen their advertisement and, unhappy with cheap American editions of classic literature, wanted to try to purchase higher quality copies that wouldn’t break her budget. Thus began a wonderful correspondence between Helene Hanff, a struggling playwright, and Frank Doel, bookseller. 

It’s difficult to explain the appeal of this book, composed primarily of copies of letters exchanged (with a few notes from other people interspersed) but it’s one of those books whom people either adore or else find extremely dull.  Hanff’s personality shines through, a stereotypical brash New Yorker but a generous and compassionate one; Doel is more restrained, something of the stiff upper lip sort but one can see the friendship blossom.  Hanff can wax lyrical about some of the books she’s read or read about so even if I don’t know the book or passage she references I certainly feel the passion behind them.

Hanff realizes from a friend that England is still under rationing, so that staples like eggs or meat are precious commodities.  She arranges to have some gift packages sent to the employees of Marks & Co., much to their delight and gratitude.  Some of the other employees send letters as well, with admonishments not to tell Mr. Doel that they have presumed to write to his favorite customer.

I found the whole book to be a delight, and was thoroughly charmed by it—so much so that when I heard there was to be a movie, I was somewhat alarmed.  There’s a reason people were shirts proclaiming, “Don’t judge a book by its movie.” With rare exceptions, most fall far short of the book and those are preferable to the ones that totally ruin a book.

But I was happily surprised by 84, Charing Cross Road the movie.  For one thing, it was impeccably cast, with Anne Bancroft as Helene and Anthony Hopkins as Frank.  Bancroft loved the book, so her husband Mel Brooks brought the movie rights for her as a gift. Like the book, it’s not a movie for everyone—not a car chase in sight, for one thing—but it is also well loved.

I’ve gone on to read some of Hanff’s other work, including The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street which is the story of how she finally makes it to England.  I’m currently reading Q’s Legacy; it tells how she fell in love with English Literature thanks to some books by a British professor, and of another trip she took to England. This time she was watching the filming of a BBC production of 84, Charing Cross Road.

If you liked Hanff’s voice in  84, Charing Cross Road, then you’ll hear it even more clearly in her other books.  I have found them all hard to put down.

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

 

Reviewed by Kristin

It is a common theme in science fiction: Humans create robots, robots develop sentience, war happens, rogue robots decide to follow their own paths.

In this case, start a business and make noodles.

Staybehind, Sweetie, Hands, and Cayenne are HEEI – “human equivalent embodied intelligence” individuals awakening after being offline unexpectedly for a period of months. They exist in the nation-state of California, which recently liberated itself from the so-called United States. The California Constitution recognized HEEI as citizens, although their legal status can be complicated by pre-war contracts and obligations. And citizens or not, the humans often have preconceived notions when it comes to HEEI and their abilities.

It’s a good thing that Staybehind and friends make a mean noodle.

Authentic Noodle is soon operating and becoming a highly rated restaurant. The orders are pouring in and their stars on the net are going up, up, up! They are filling their order capacity in advance and becoming the hottest lunch in San Francisco. But negative reviews start coming from somewhere, and it appears that they are being attacked by someone who doesn’t like robots. But is this an actual disgruntled human or a targeted campaign from some larger power?

In this near future (2064) novella, the characters are endearing, the tension is palpable, and the noodles are yummy. Automatic Noodle – 5 stars.

Nevermore: Codebreaker's Daughter, Cat's Life, How Y'all Doing?

 

Nevermore 8-26-25

Reported by Rita

 

The Codebreaker's Daughter  by Amy Lynn Green

Dinah Kendall's role in the U.S. Capitol for the Office of Strategic Services is far from the thrilling espionage career she dreamed of. Instead of covert missions, she crafts rumors aimed at undermining Axis morale while trying to live up to the expectations of her demanding mother, Lillian. As Dinah navigates her duties, she uncovers something startling: Her mother was once a codebreaker, breaking military ciphers during the Great War alongside some of the nation's most brilliant minds. The deeper Dinah dives into Lillian's journal, the more the secrets of the past come to light—including the steep cost of high-stakes codebreaking.

It was informative, but I didn't see the need for a dual timeline. I would have enjoyed it more as a linear story.     -WJ      4 stars

 

A Cat's Life by Gemma Correll

Cat lovers everywhere will wryly recognize their own lives in these whimsical vignettes. Worshipped since ancient times, cats are fickle, capricious and fiendishly clever. Oh, did we mention "vain," "elegant," and "charming"? Life has got to be on their terms or not at all. These willful creatures are masters of our homes, our wallets--and our hearts. By treating us with casual indifference, our feline taskmasters keep us in our rightful place. We're just here because someone has to buy the catnip and pay the astronomical heating bills. Call a dog, and he'll come running. Call a cat, he'll probably take a message and get back to you later. There's so much we can learn from our feline friends.

Really cute and funny with adorable illustrations. If you love cats, you'll love this book.     -MS      5 stars

 

How Y'all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived by Leslie Jordan

When actor Leslie Jordan learned he had “gone viral,” he had no idea what that meant or how much his life was about to change. On Instagram, his uproarious videos have entertained millions, making him a global celebrity. Now, he brings his bon vivance to the page with this collection of intimate and sassy essays.

Well-written, honest, funny, and sweet. It's a truly delightful autobiography.      -NH      5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned:

 

Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen

Abandoned Southern Virginia: The South Begins by Liz Roll

Civil War Ironclads: The Dawn Of Naval Armor by Robert MacBride

Another City, Not My Own by Dominick Dunne

The Place of Tides: A Journey to the Land of the Eider Duck and a Life-Changing Encounter with the Women Who Gather the Birds’ Precious Down on Remote by James Rebanks

My Day: The Best of Eleanor Roosevelt's Acclaimed Newspaper Columns 1936-62 by Eleanor Roosevelt, David Emblidge (Editor)

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

Before She Was Helen (Clemmie, #1) by Caroline B. Cooney

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

 

New Books:

 

The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

Romantasy Crochet Club: 20 Epic Projects for Your Reading Journeys by Amanda Sennett

Classy Classics!

Some books don’t age well.  Here’s the Publishers Weekly best-seller list for 1950, courtesy of Wikipedia:

1.     The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson

2.    Joy Street by Frances Parkinson Keyes

3.    Across the River and into the Trees by Ernest Hemingway

4.    The Wall by John Hersey

5.    Star Money by Kathleen Winsor

6.    The Parasites by Daphne du Maurier

7.     Floodtide by Frank Yerby

8.    Jubilee Trail by Gwen Bristow

9.    The Adventurer by Mika Waltari

10.  The Disenchanted by Budd Schulberg

 

While I recognize most of the authors, I don’t recognize the titles. The top selling book of the year, The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson, I don’t find in the OWL catalog at any of the libraries even though it was made into a movie.

On the other hand, there are books written even centuries ago that have remained popular.  Recently, we decided that some of our copies of these books needed a refresh, so we bought some handsome new copies and put them on display as “Classy Classics.” It’s fun to watch people look at these older titles and check them out, whether to re-read a long ago school assignment or to read a book that’s been on the TBR (To Be Read) list for a long time.

Jane Austen is an author I have enjoyed for years, reading and re-reading.  I have yet to read Mansfield Park but this lovely new copy makes the book seem all the more enticing. The Sun Also Rises I read years ago, but now the new cover and knowing that Hemingway used his friends* as models for the characters makes me want to read it again. And that cover for Jane Eyre—it makes it worth the orphanage parts before she meets Mr. Rochester.

But while the new copy of  War and Peace is most attractive, I haven’t quite picked it up yet.  But never say never!

*After the book came out, many of these people became former friends.

** The reason there is no photo of The Sun Also Rises is that both of our spiffy new copies are out, which is just what we were hoping for!

 

Street Cats and Where to Find Them by Jeff Bogle

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

The subtitle of the book is “The Most Feline-Friendly Cities and Attractions Around the World”, which is a good summing up of the contents.  While there was a similar book recently, Cats of the World by Hannah Shaw, this one focuses more on places to interact with cats or cat-related items: cat cafes, museums, festivals, etc.  Bogle does visit some places where street cats abound, including Japan’s Cat Island, Rome, and Istanbul, but he also features lesser known locations as well as a couple of US spots : New Orleans and Tangier Island, Virginia, neither of which I would have thought of as being cat locations. 

A pause (paws?) to note that Bogle has an introduction about these cats, defining street cats, how to safely interact with them, and what to do if you find a sick cat.

This book was a real treat.  The photos are wonderful, and convey a real sense of what a place is like as well as being very attractive. Most of all, though, I really loved the tone of the book. Bogle explains that he had a happy childhood except that he was cat deprived.  More than that, he was the victim of anti-cat propaganda from his parents.  As an adult, he was appalled when his girlfriend announced that she was bringing home a relative’s cat and announced that the cat would ruin his life.  As Bogle explains, “Roughly four hours and two seconds later, I was an unabashed cat dad who wondered, What the hell was wrong with my parents?”

Bogle is also a professional travel writer and photographer, so his observations are helpful as well as entertaining.  For example, he offers specific locations which are conducive to cat spotting, the closest airports to the city, best ways to get around, and where to get food.  While not exhaustive, I found them handy for daydreaming about visiting some of the locations.  I also enjoyed that Bogle didn’t make it sound as if everything was always easy-peasy. On his trip to Cyprus, his international phone service failed and he was forced to find free wifi in a restaurant parking lot to figure out where his hotel was and how to get there.

Most of all, the book was fun. I know I won’t be going to many (if any) of these places so I was happy to travel vicariously.  I will admit to being a tad disappointed that some of the places were brief text only (Catcon in Pasadena or Hemingway Home in Key West) but he introduced me to so many amazing places that I can’t really complain.  Maybe next book he’ll make a stop in North Carolina’s Museum of the American House Cat. I can dream, can’t I?

New & Coming Soon in Nonfiction

 While we usually highlight fiction, we do have some new and forthcoming nonfiction books of interest.  There are a lot of memoirs from fascinating folks; books on historical events like World War I, the birth of the American nation, the Crash of '29, and the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald; and a new science book from the always fascinating and entertaining Mary Roach.

September

Brown Woolley, Christine  Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family and Finding Freedom

Campbell, Alyssa Blask  Big Kids, Bigger Feelings:  Navigating Defiance, Meltdowns, and Anxiety to Raise Confident and Connected Kids

Cowley, Robert The Killing Season: The Autumn of 1914, Ypres, and the Afternoon That Cost Germany a War

Edward, John & Hilland, Robert  Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent’s Search for Hope and Justice

Henderson, Artis  No Ordinary Bird:  Drug Smuggling, a Plane Crash, and a Daughter’s Quest for the Truth

Kotb, Hoda  Jump and Find Joy: Embracing Change in Every Season of Life

Lepore, Jill We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution

Patterson, James  Disrupt Everything—and Win:  Take Control of Your Future

Pinker, Steven  When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows

Presley, Priscilla Softly, As I Leave You:  Life After Elvis

Roach, Mary Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy

 

October

 

Bacon, John U. The Gales of November:  The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Baier, Bret To Rescue the American Spirit:  Teddy Roosevelt and the Birth of a Superpower

Curry, Tim  Vagabond:  A Memoir

Ellis, Joseph  The Great Contradiction: The Tragic Side of the American Founding

Giovanni, Nikki  The New Book:  Poems, Letters, Blurbs, and Things

Macy, Beth  Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America

Orlean, Susan Joyride: A Memoir

Sorkin, Andrew Ross 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History—and How It Shattered a Nation

Vaill, Amanda Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution

Yousafzai, Malala  Finding My Way: A Memoir

Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil by Oliver Darkshire

Reviewed by Jeanne

Henric Nagg lives on a cursed farm with his wife in a marriage of mutual disrespect and heavy-duty annoyance.  It’s really not as if anyone around has much better luck, living as they do near a goblin valley with its yearly goblin infestation.  Fortunately they have a wizard named Badgemagus who keeps the goblins in their place (more or less) and can occasionally be called upon to perform some wizardly service—or not.  He does brew potions that require some interesting ingredients, which is what brought Mr. Nagg to Badgemagus’ hovel with a collection of mandrake leaves. 

But Badgemagus isn’t at home. Since Mr. Nagg doesn’t want to face the derision of Mrs. Nagg should he return home empty handed, he decides to take one of the wizard’s books. This decision is not well received as Mrs. Nagg is of the opinion that to steal from a wizard is just asking to be turned into a weevil. 

It seems that, as per usual, Mrs. Nagg is going to have to clean up Mr. Nagg’s mess and return the book to Badgemagus. Perhaps if she pleads and apologizes and reminds the wizard of Mr. Nagg’s many shortcomings, they will not be turned into weevils. . . but first she may take just the tiniest peek inside the book.  And maybe, just maybe try a little spell. . . .

This is a witty, madcap adventure with dark undertones.  There are some laugh out loud lines as well as parts that are more than a bit creepy.  Darkshire creates a whole cast of over the top characters, including an entrepreneur with blonde hair and spiked heels who is intent on building a goblin fruit empire.  There’s a talking donkey, a one-eyed creature who is sort of like a cat and who offers unsolicited advice, and most of all, there’s a pot of basil.

This isn’t exactly  straight-forward fantasy, and I wouldn’t use the word cozy in connection with it at all.  There are some fascinating twists and turns in store for readers and an ending I mostly enjoyed for reasons I can’t divulge without spoilers.  It’s no surprise to learn that my favorite character was the cat-like grimalkin.

There are footnotes and excerpts from the book of magic to add entertainment.  Fantasy readers may be reminded of Terry Pratchett in some ways—the footnotes and the witty comments for example—while others may think more of Douglas Adams.

If you are in the mood for a clever, moody read, this just might fill the bill.