ROBOTS OF DAWN (Isaac Asimov)

I am not usually a fan of Science Fiction, but Asimov's futuristic mystery was a pleasant surprise.  Featuring Earthman Elijah Baley and robot R. Daneel Olivaw as sleuths, the story revolves around the roboticide of R. Jander Panell, a humaniform robot on the planet Aurora.  Jander's creator, Dr. Fastolfe, is the main suspect in this unusual case, and he calls upon Baley to help track down the identity of whomever managed to short circuit the robot, believing that his political rivals will use Jander's "death" against him since presumably only he has the technological knowledge to have done away with the robot.

The most interesting aspect of this novel is, by far, the future cultural developments imagined by Asimov.  Baley lives on Earth, a planet scorned and considered germ-ridden by Aurorans, who have managed to eradicate illness.  Because most people on earth live in cities protected by domes, Baley is severely agorophobic and faints when confronted with too much "outside."  He is happy to be reunited with Daneel, a humaniform robot with who he had previously collaborated on a case that was sensationalized as a "hyperwave" drama.  His other robot protector is R. Giskard Reventlowe, owned by Fastolfe and once close to fastolfe's daughter, Vasilia.

Sexual and family relationships are viewed very differently on Aurora than in our current culture and it is not unusual to "offer" one's self to another as an expression of gratitude or to pay bag a favor.  Parent -child relationships are merely biological, with little in the way of emotional bonding.  As for the mystery of Jander's death, Asimov offers numerous possibilities, all of which Baley follows up on while struggling with his fears on Aurora.  I found the ending logical, but unexpected.  This is a long novel, over 400 pages, and it takes a while to get into the story.  Take the time and you won't regret it!

ESCAPE TO WILLOW COTTAGE) Bella Osborne

There is nothing better on a winter weekend, when you have all sorts of family and work issues swirling around in your head, to relax and escape with a cute English village novel.  This one features romance, home renovation, an interesting look at the deaf culture, and domestic abuse.  Of course there are numerous instances of people jumping to conclusions and second guessing and the requisite half-crazy locals, but there is nothing as relaxing in my book.  I actually chose this because Katie Fforde, my favorite relaxing author, was quoted on the cover!

Beth is a successful London business woman, a young widow with a 6-year-old son running away from an increasingly abusive relationship with Nick.  She purchases a cottage, sight unseen, in the village of Dumbleford and moves there with the intention of starting a new life with her son, Leo, letting only her best friend Carly her whereabouts.  When she finally sees the cottage and realizes that she has been misled about its livability she resolves to renovate and flip the house, possibly developing a new career in the process.  Of course she didn't count on the close friendship and acceptance she would encounter in Dumbleford as she tries to build a temporary life there.  A fun sub-plot is that of Carly, deeply in love and desperately wanting a proposal from her deaf Irish boyfriend, Fergus.

Osborne takes a simple plot and a charming setting and manages to weave in quite a few timely topics while still maintaining the charm and humor of the story.  This sweet novel will probably not change your life, but it will definitely make you smile as you root for Beth, Carly, Jack (the handsome neighbor), and Petra (the single mother with a secret) to find happiness.

ENCHANTRESS OF NUMBERS (Jennifer Chiaverini)

Maybe I loved this novel, a fictionalized version of the life of Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace and only legitimate daughter of Lord Byron, because I majored in math in college.  I don't think that's the only reason, though.  There is nothing like well-researched historical fiction, and this certainly falls into that category. Set in the 1830's and beyond. It is also, in some respects, a kind of "Mommy Dearest" story.

Ada's mother, Annabelle, falls madly in love with George Gordon, Lord Byron, and resolves to marry him despite all that she knows about his character and personality.  She was, quite frankly, obsessed with the man.  When they finally become engaged she has high hopes of changing him.  Her obsession is so great that even the fact that he seems reluctant to marry do not deter her.  Soon after Ada (actually christened August Ada) is born, Annabelle leaves Byron and returns home to raise her daughter on her own.  Determined to help Ada to avoid the Byron madness, she restricts he daughter's education and human contact to tutors, governesses, and her own adult friends, emphasizing math, science, and strict morality over friends and imagination.  In fact, imagination is strictly forbidden since it might cause Ada to develop an interest in poetry or the arts and turn out like her now despised father.

This is a fascinating character study of a girl and her mother.  Both are highly intelligent, brilliant women, but Annabelle's coldness and strict treatment of Ada, along with her bitterness at Lord Byron, would make the reader wonder how Ada ever grew up to be a normal person.  I guess that normal is not exactly the correct word.  She formed a close relationship with Charles Babbage, inventor of the difference engine and contributed greatly to his work, ultimately being considered the first woman to work with the concept of computers.  In all, this was a fascinating fictional account of the lives of 2 women who left their marks on the intellectual world.

DEATH IN ADVERTISING (Laura Bradford)

Tobi Tobias is the main character in this new series created by the talented Laura Bradford.  Tobi is desperate to get her advertising agency off the ground, hopefully by landing an important client that will make her a household name.  She does just that when she creates a slogan for a local closet company who has broken ties with Tobi's former employer, a rival advertising agency.  The future is looking bright for Tori until the body of a local businessman is discovered in a closet system during a photo shoot, potentially making her a pariah in the industry, especially since the slogan she created refers to "skeltons in the closet."

To salvage her reputation and save her business, Tobi sets out to figure out who committed murder.  Was it one of her clients, a pair of polar opposite brothers?  Was it the grieving widow, who favors sequins over widows weeds?  Was it an intruder or business rival?  Tobi has her work cut out for her in investigating the crime, and readers will enjoy being along for the ride!