For some reason I haven't gotten around to reading this book until now, but I can't wait to get hold of the second in the series, Olive and Let Die. This author has a long and very successful career ahead of her with both of her cozy mystery series (She is also Sadie Hartwell, author of the Tangled Web series).
Georgie Nikolopatos manages Bonaparte House, a Greek restaurant located in a historic octagonal house in upstate New York. Bonaparte House, which is also the family home, is owned by her mother-in-law, Sophie, and Georgie's gay husband, Spiro, neither of whom seem all that interested in actually WORKING in the restaurant. That falls primarily on Sophie. The historic location of the restaurant is based on a real house supposedly built by Joseph Bonaparte for his brother, Napoleon. Unfortunately, the original house is now gone, but it has been recreated in glorious detail by Hardy.
Spiro is missing, which is not unusual given that outside relationships with men seem to have become more frequent for him. This time something is different, though. Spiro had arranged for people from the popular TV series Ghost Squad to investigate the legend that Bonaparte House is haunted. yet he has not been seen or heard from for days. When Georgie hitches a boat ride with old friend (and possible romantic interest) Keith to her friend Liza's spa, they make a gruesome discovery, the body of rival restaurateur Dom DiTomasso floating in the river. Of course, Georgie is a suspect.
Hardy's wonderful novel is part mystery, part zany comedy. Georgie is one of those practical yet headstrong heroines (think Perils of Pauline), often taking action without thinking through the consequences or danger. When handsome Coast Guard Captain Jack comes into the picture she can't quite decide if he is friend or foe, and her determination to deliver the demanded ransom (the identity or location of which she is completely in the dark about) to Spiro's kidnappers creates some really hilarious scenes.
Very likable characters (Georgie doesn't seem to have a mean bone in her body), an interesting mystery with a lot of twists, a great sense of place, and the historical aspects of the setting all combine into a great book. I would highly recommend it!
BIBLIOPHILY
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Friday, January 22, 2016
THE BLESSING WAY (Tony Hillerman)
I have very mixed feelings about this novel. Friends in my book club who have read Tony Hillerman extensively say this is not representative of his work and that the others are much better. The Blessing Way is poorly titled, since there is little connection to the story aside from one or two mentions in the book. Apparently the publisher (erroneously) thought this was a better title than the one suggested by the author!
Here are the bad points: The first half of the book is very confusing, full of multiple Native American names, brief mentions of customs and traditions, and uncertainty about who the main characters actually are and how they are related to one another. because of the incredible number of names and references it is almost impossible for the reader to keep track of the action, location, or whereabouts of the characters.
Here are the good points: The second half of the novel is a great, action-packed thriller and would make a terrific movie. It seems as if Hillerman cleaned out the dust and milling hoards of people somewhere in the middle of the book. Once he focused on a few people and stopped focusing on minute details it became very enjoyable to read. While I think that the Native American background information is valuable, it should have been presented in a different, more organized way.
The good news is that this, Hillerman's first in the Joe Leaphorn series, was apparently the jumping off point for an excellent and well-written series. It might not hurt to skip this one, but if you do read it keep in mind that it DOES get better!
Here are the bad points: The first half of the book is very confusing, full of multiple Native American names, brief mentions of customs and traditions, and uncertainty about who the main characters actually are and how they are related to one another. because of the incredible number of names and references it is almost impossible for the reader to keep track of the action, location, or whereabouts of the characters.
Here are the good points: The second half of the novel is a great, action-packed thriller and would make a terrific movie. It seems as if Hillerman cleaned out the dust and milling hoards of people somewhere in the middle of the book. Once he focused on a few people and stopped focusing on minute details it became very enjoyable to read. While I think that the Native American background information is valuable, it should have been presented in a different, more organized way.
The good news is that this, Hillerman's first in the Joe Leaphorn series, was apparently the jumping off point for an excellent and well-written series. It might not hurt to skip this one, but if you do read it keep in mind that it DOES get better!
BLOOD WILL TELL (Jeanne Dams)
This is a bit unusual for a Dorothy Martin & Alan Nesbitt mystery because there is no murder! After Dorothy discovers a pool of blood on a laboratory floor during a conference at St. Stephen's College at Cambridge University, she and Alan set out to discover from whom or what it came, how it got there, and, most importantly, who cleaned it up so thoroughly and so quickly! Was it a student prank? Is there a murder victim whose body has not yet been discovered? Who pushed Dorothy down a flight of stairs? Enlisting the aid of a local police Superintendent Elaine Barker (a woman with secrets of her own) and her nephew, Tom, Dorothy and Alan stir up unrest on campus and with the local police as their questions lead to yet more questions. When Tom disappears, finding out where the blood originated becomes urgent.
Widowed American ex-pat Dorothy is, as always, wonderfully refreshing and real. She is an older woman, cautious about her balance and her knees, happy in her adopted country, and comfortably in love with her second husband, a retired police official. It's amazing that author Dams is American, because to me she seems to capture the essence of England - the weather, then customs, the rules - beautifully. If you look at her website you's discover that she loves hats as much as Dorothy does!
As always, anything Jeanne Dams writes is highly recommended!
Widowed American ex-pat Dorothy is, as always, wonderfully refreshing and real. She is an older woman, cautious about her balance and her knees, happy in her adopted country, and comfortably in love with her second husband, a retired police official. It's amazing that author Dams is American, because to me she seems to capture the essence of England - the weather, then customs, the rules - beautifully. If you look at her website you's discover that she loves hats as much as Dorothy does!
As always, anything Jeanne Dams writes is highly recommended!
Monday, January 4, 2016
THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON (Kate Morton)
After having read Morton's 4th novel, The Lake House, I couldn't wait to read more! I think that if I had read The House at Riverton first I would still have been interested in more, but not quite so anxiously. It is obvious that Morton has developed as a writer since this, her first novel.
What bothered me about The House at Riverton was not the story. I am always game for an aristocratic family saga and one thing that I really LIKED about reading this was that it was set during the same time period (WWI through the mid-1920's) as Downton Abbey, one of my absolute favorite TV shows. What I DIDN'T like was the way the story evolved in the novel. The story is told from the point of view of 98-year-old Grace Bradley, an esteemed academic who worked as a maid at Riverton while the events of the story unfolded. We learn early on that a young poet died at the lake on the family property and that the 2 daughters of the family, Hannah and Emmeline, were present when the tragedy occurred. I don't think that author gives the reader enough information at the beginning about the fatal event. I felt frustrated throughout because I couldn't fit what was going to happen (and what was the focus of the book) into the context of what was being related to us by Grace. Does that make sense? Probably not! I guess what I am trying to say is that I think the telling should have been rearranged. At one point I realized that both daughters were dead in Grace's reminiscing and that the main event of the story had not been addressed.
I know that this review is confusing, but I guess it reflects my own confusion as I was reading. Now that I'm finished I like the story. Following it from beginning to end in my mind, having all of the facts and characters in their proper places, I can appreciate the historical details and sense of place. I just wish I could have read it with enough knowledge to anticipate the ending. Don't count it out, though. The details of the time period alone make Morton's first book worthwhile reading.
What bothered me about The House at Riverton was not the story. I am always game for an aristocratic family saga and one thing that I really LIKED about reading this was that it was set during the same time period (WWI through the mid-1920's) as Downton Abbey, one of my absolute favorite TV shows. What I DIDN'T like was the way the story evolved in the novel. The story is told from the point of view of 98-year-old Grace Bradley, an esteemed academic who worked as a maid at Riverton while the events of the story unfolded. We learn early on that a young poet died at the lake on the family property and that the 2 daughters of the family, Hannah and Emmeline, were present when the tragedy occurred. I don't think that author gives the reader enough information at the beginning about the fatal event. I felt frustrated throughout because I couldn't fit what was going to happen (and what was the focus of the book) into the context of what was being related to us by Grace. Does that make sense? Probably not! I guess what I am trying to say is that I think the telling should have been rearranged. At one point I realized that both daughters were dead in Grace's reminiscing and that the main event of the story had not been addressed.
I know that this review is confusing, but I guess it reflects my own confusion as I was reading. Now that I'm finished I like the story. Following it from beginning to end in my mind, having all of the facts and characters in their proper places, I can appreciate the historical details and sense of place. I just wish I could have read it with enough knowledge to anticipate the ending. Don't count it out, though. The details of the time period alone make Morton's first book worthwhile reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)