My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame

Reviewed by Ambrea

Yaichi is a divorced, single father who spends his days working from home and looking after his precocious daughter, Kana.  His days are mostly the same:  Make breakfast, bundle Kana off to school, work on chores, run some errands, and so on.  But when Mike Flanagan, an affable Canadian who claims to be the widower of Yaichi’s estranged twin brother, Ryoji, arrives on their doorstep, Yaichi’s life will be turned upside down as he welcomes Mike into his home and, moreover, comes to terms with his brother’s death.

I actually selected My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame, because I needed to read it for part of the Book Riot “Reader Harder Challenge.”  It ticked off several boxes on my challenge sheet:  a translated book written by and/or translated by a woman; a book of manga; and a comic by an LGBTQIA creator.  (Three down, twenty-one more to go!)

Starting out, I wasn’t sure what to expect with My Brother’s Husband.  I typically read action-y manga, like Fullmetal Alchemist, Ruroni Kenshin, InuYasha, or One Punch Man, so My Brother’s Husband was a pretty big departure from my usual fare.  It builds slowly and focuses on relationships, on changes within those relationships, on intrapersonal exploration.  It’s a very sweet, slightly melancholic drama that focuses on Yaichi’s personal growth as his preconceived notions about homosexuality—and, of course, his brother—are challenged.

It’s very interesting to see how Yaichi grows as a character, how he learns to understand and accept Mike and, in turn, accept his estranged brother.  It’s also intriguing to see how Kana, his daughter, immediately accepts her big Canadian uncle, to see how Yaichi seems to take her lead a little and still manages to make it a teachable moment.  He’s helping her see and understand, while also learning how to do it himself.  Honestly, I found it heartwarming.

Although the story is threaded with tragedy—after all, Yaichi and Mike only meet because of the death of Ryoji—I enjoyed it overall.  It’s not an easy book to read, in that it does bring up uncomfortable questions; likewise, it’s very different culturally, which can make it difficult to understand.  However, it touches upon universal themes of love and loss, acceptance and growth that make it incredibly appealing.

I highly recommend it for manga fans who are in the market for something a little lighter, a little mellower, and a little different.

Shelved Under Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Reviewed by Jeanne

Moving back to Taylorsville, Virginia after a broken relationship, Amy Webber is (mostly) enjoying her job as director of the local public library.  The upcoming yard sale to benefit the library is stressful, and made more so by the demands of a board member, but the promised donation of a painting or two by a well-known local artist gives Amy hope that the sale will be a success.  Plans are derailed when the artist is found murdered, stabbed with her own palette knife.  Things get more complicated when some forged paintings are discovered at the artist’s studio, and Amy is once again drawn into a murder investigation that may have personal implications:  her late uncle may also have been involved in the forgeries.

The second entry in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series reunites readers with the close knit characters introduced in A Murder for the Books.  As with the first, this is a charming, cozy read with food, friends, and sleuthing.  Amy’s background in Art History is put to good use and fans are treated to the growing romance between Amy and her neighbor.  I particularly enjoyed the art aspect of the story:  I like for my cozies to impart a little information along with the entertainment.  Unlike many cozies, Gilbert’s two books have featured action packed endings and this one did particularly well in that department for me. I also liked the way dubious characters from the first book are explored more fully this time.  Character development is one thing I look for in a successful series, and Gilbert seems to be prepared to plumb the depths. She isn’t afraid to shake things up a bit, either.

However, if you plan to read the first book in the series, you’ll find the author has pretty much spoiled that mystery for you in this book.  Names are named and motives are described.  However, if you read just for the fun of the characters, you’ll have a good time even knowing whodunit.

I’ll be interested in seeing what she does in the next book, and am especially curious to see what becomes of a couple of the supporting characters.

Nevermore: Leadership, Lobsters, Snap, Burnable Book, Legacy, Ephron

Reported by Kristin

Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin received a rousing review from our first Nevermore book club member.  Focusing on four former United States Presidents, (Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson,) Goodwin looks at how these men developed into leaders, sometimes under great pressure.  Our reader thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it very relevant in today’s political atmosphere.

Our next reader turned the pages to a different flavor of non-fiction, with The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fisherman and Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean by Trevor Corson.  The author spent several years with lobstermen and lobsterwomen in the Gulf of Maine in order to gain a greater understanding of the creatures’ lives.  Our reader noted that the lobster has a very difficult life and it’s a miracle that any of them survive.  She learned much about the crustaceans, then promptly cooked and ate the lobster that was in her freezer.

British suspense is always a hit at Nevermore, and Snap by Belinda Bauer did not disappoint.  When a pregnant mother’s car breaks down on the side of the road, she goes for help, leaving her children in the car.  However, she never returns, and young teen Jack becomes responsible for his two younger sisters.  Jack’s goal is to keep them out of the social services system, and doesn’t mind crossing the line of the law if necessary.  Our reader said that this was a new take on how to do a suspense story, and she enjoyed it very much.

Another reader also read a mystery set in Britain, but in an earlier time-period.  A Burnable Book by Bruce Holsinger spins a tale of Geoffrey Chaucer seeking an ancient manuscript against the backdrop of London royalty.  The rumored book prophesies the end of the English monarchy, which is seen as a threat.  Our reader enjoyed the fictional plotline containing real historical characters.

The Legacy by Yrsa Sigurdardottir kept another member turning the pages.  This Nordic noir begins a new series featuring psychologist Freyja and police detective Huldar.  The two collaborate on a case where the only possible witness is the traumatized young daughter of the murder victim.  The characters are flawed, but real.

Finally, another reader enjoyed I Remember Nothing by scriptwriter and humorous author Nora Ephron.  Surprisingly, even after Ephron claims to remember nothing, she has plenty to say about many of the people that she knew during her lifetime.  Our reader noted that Ephron wrote this book at age 69, before dying at age 71.  Ephron is noted for writing such blockbuster films as When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Julie & Julia.

Dumplin’ vs Dumplin’

Reviewed by Christy

            In the past when I’ve watched a movie then read the book, I’ve usually ended up liking both. (The same can’t always be said for vice versa). Watching Netflix’s Dumplin’ then reading the novel of the same name by Julie Murphy was a little different – there was a clear winner. That’s not to say I disliked either of them, I enjoyed both. But if I had to pick which I prefer, it would be the movie.

            Dumplin’ is about an overweight Texas teenager named Willowdean trying to conquer her insecurities by signing up to be in the local beauty pageant. Her beautiful, thin mother was Miss Teen Blue Bonnet many years back and has been reliving her glory days (by being pageant coordinator) ever since. Willowdean initially signs up for the pageant in part as a tribute to her beloved, recently deceased Aunt Lucy. But when a handful of high school misfits follow her lead, she becomes the de facto leader of an accidental revolution. Willowdean as a character is great. She’s sweet and fun but tends to snap unfairly at people when she’s feeling insecure. She is also self-aware of her flaws and tries to course correct accordingly. A whole motley crew of teens decides to compete and slowly becomes Will’s friends: another overweight (but cheerier) teen Millie, sullen, bucktooth Hannah, and Amanda who is teased relentlessly for the corrective shoes she has to wear. Will also has to contend with her crush on her co-worker Bo and her classmate Mitch’s crush on her.

            Dumplin’ is a fun story with a good message: no one should have to conform to others’ expectations of beauty. Julie Murphy's book version does feel like it gets a little repetitive at times, however. Will has insecurities about the pageant or Bo or Mitch or something else. She talks it out with someone (or herself), feels better for a while, repeat. The movie, by necessity, tightens up the story and makes it flow a little better. It also trims excess characters (goodbye Amanda and Mitch) and softens the harsher aspects of other characters’ personalities (particularly Will’s mother who is kinder, prouder, and generally more present in the movie.) The movie can be cheesy at times, and the southern accents are…not great. But everyone is trying, bless their hearts. It is the definition of a feel-good movie, and it has the welcome bonus of a Dolly Parton soundtrack. While I preferred the movie overall, I don’t think you can really go wrong with either one when you need a little pick-me-up.

Steven Cooper Mysteries: The Psychic and the Cop

Reviewed by Brenda G.

Cooper, Steven. Desert Remains. Amherst, NY: Seventh Street Books, 2017. 400 pages.

____________          Dig your Grave.  Amherst, NY: Seventh Street Books, 2018. 412 pages.

Steven Cooper is an award-winning journalist who also writes fiction, in this case, mysteries.

His main characters in these two works, volumes 1 and 2 of a series, are Gus Parker and Alex Mills. Gus makes his living as a medical imager, but to the police, he is a psychic. Alex is a police detective working with homicide and other crimes. The series is set in Phoenix, Arizona. The volumes in the series bear the note “A Gus Parker and Alex Mills Novel.”

Desert Remains. Women are dying in the Phoenix area, their bodies left in caves near hiking trails, at first. The killer leaves few clues. Their jewelry remains with the bodies; it is not stolen. Victim identification is handy; not stolen, either. And the killer leaves a signature of sorts – a carved depiction of the murder, his or her own pictograph of the event.

Whereas Alex’s role in murder investigations often draws him into the spotlight, Gus prefers to remain anonymous. His work as a medical imager sometimes involves long hours but he has found time to work as a psychic in many U.S. cities, plus London, Dublin, Prague, and Riyadh. That work is both lucrative and tiring. Now as he catches the news after work, sharing dinner with his elderly fellow psychic Beatrice, he listens to a report of the latest gruesome find and gets a vibe, one which he needs to share with Mills.

This is a complex tale with details about Alex’s family life and its impact on his work, Gus’s work with Beatrice to “out” fraudulent psychics, information about desert pictographs, other workers in the police department and their history, and a folk rock singer named Billie Welch, who truly has star status.

Gus is in “at the kill”, so to speak, meaning he is present at the final scene, as is Mills, just a bit later. These two likable and very human characters deal with life and death on a daily basis, and yet retain their sanity, human kindness, and the capacity to love. And Gus’s anonymity may have taken a hit.

Dig Your Grave. Alex Mills and Gus Parker are back. Alex’s teenaged son is out of trouble for selling drugs (a subplot in the first novel,) but manages to find new trouble to provide another subplot. Gus and superstar Billie are now an item, sharing time, space, and experiences. Superstars can attract stalkers, yielding another subplot. And murders continue to take place in the Phoenix area, but in this volume the victims are male.

Bodies are being found in crudely dug, shallow graves in cemeteries; there is dirt under the victims’ fingernails, indicating they might have been forced to dig by hand.  The first victim carries no identification, but is found to be a corporate CEO. The second is a plastic surgeon. Victim number three is a travel agent. After receiving an urgent phone call, each abruptly departed and was not seen alive again. The victims are well-to-do and approximately the same age. 

A seemingly unrelated story involves the 25^th anniversary of the disappearance and presumed death of an area college student while she was on a spring break trip to Mexico. Gus is having visions of someone falling from a hotel balcony. But when, where, and why is he seeing this? What is he supposed to do?

Sharing more details could well force me into the spoiler role. I do not want to do that. These books are well-crafted and well worth reading.  I am ready for the third, which will probably appear in 2019. To more mysteries with good detective-psychic collaborations!