England

2012 is not over yet! Review of “The Secret Keeper” by Kate Morton

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Several weeks ago I was ordering everyone books from Amazon for Christmas and I saw this title under recommendations. It looked so intriguing that I bought it for myself for Christmas! “The Secret Keeper” starts with British teenager Laurel hiding from her younger sisters in her treehouse, when a stranger comes to their home and she witnesses her mother stab the man to death. The police rule that the homicide was self-defense, and the man is thought to be a local criminal, and so Laurel moves on and seems to forget that day.

Fifty years later, Laurel’s mother, Dorothy, is turning eighty, and close to death. She begins to tell Laurel that she has some regrets and that all is not as it seems. However, Dorothy is losing her faculties as well, and Laurel can’t get the whole story from her, so she seeks to solve the mystery herself. Just who was the man her mother killed that day, and why did he seem to know her mother? Added to these questions are some items Laurel finds hidden away: a book with an inscription, a thank you note, a picture of her mother and her friend Vivien, a small doll and an old fur coat. Will she figure out the past before Dorothy passes on?

This story is told in various voices: Laurel as a teen, Laurel in the present, Dorothy as a young girl, Dorothy as a young adult, Vivien as a child, Vivien as a young adult, etc. We move from the present to the fifties in England, to London during the Blitz, to Australia pre-WWII. I loved this style and the way the story unfolded slowly and step by step. I did not guess the ending, but once it was revealed I saw that all the clues were right before me the whole time. I really enjoyed Morton’s writing style and will look for other books by her.

Recommended for those lovers of historical fiction – WWII era – with a dash of mystery and romance thrown in. Definitely one of my fave reads of the year!

Review: “Mistress to the Crown” by Isolde Martyn

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Another Net Galley find — “Mistress to the Crown” is the story of King Edward the IV’s mistress, Elizabeth Lambard, in the 1400’s.

Elizabeth starts off as the lonely and very young wife of an impotent shop owner in London. She works to procure her divorce from him and falls in love with Lord Hastings. Hastings, though, relinquishes her to King Edward and Elizabeth enjoys several years (until his death) as his beloved mistress. She’s a smart girl, though, and works to build a business of silk women, saves money, and purchases property. When Edward dies, Elizabeth (known as “Mistress Jane Shore”) runs the risk of being imprisoned and blamed for his death.

I always love reading about old England and the intricacies and shenanigans of court life. How anyone lived a long life in those days, while being at court and part of a king or queen’s retinue, and kept their heads – well, it’s beyond me. Elizabeth is a likable and intelligent character and is a strong role model in terms of her striving for independence. The “adult situations” in this book were peppered throughout (she was the king’s mistress after all!), but not overly explicit. I’d recommend this book to those who like historical fiction of the royal genre. I enjoyed Martyn’s writing and will look for her other works.

Not sure if this book will be available in the US or only in Australia in 2013 — ? If another reader knows, please post in comments. Thanks for my copy, Net Galley and Harlequin MIRA!

Quick Review: “Princess Elizabeth’s Spy” by Susan Elia MacNeal

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I grabbed this novel from Net Galley as it seemed like the type of historical cozy mystery I would like: it’s the early 1940’s, and Maggie Hope, young British spy and former secretary to Mr. Churchill, takes on a mission as math tutor to Princess Elizabeth (today’s QEII) in order to keep an eye on things at Windsor Castle. Maggie has no shortage of folks that seem suspicious, and she starts to have feelings for a few of the men she comes to know. There is plenty of back story here as this is the second novel in a series. Maggie struggles in her spy training. She is looked down on for being a woman. She has a fiance who is missing in action. She has a complicated relationship with her father (whom she always thought was dead). She questions her mother’s death in an accident. There’s even more going on in these books that I won’t go into — but I really enjoyed the period, the details, the plotline, and the fast-paced writing. It kept me reading until the end (which I had figured out in advance, but oh well!). They reminded me of Rhys Bowen’s “Her Royal Spyness” series.

Thanks, Net Galley and Bantam Press for my copy!

Quick Audiobook Review: “World without End” by Ken Follett

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I loved the book and miniseries “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett, so I was thrilled to find the audiobook for its sequel, “World without End”, at the library (read by John Lee).

While this story takes place in Kingsbridge, the town that is the setting for “Pillars of the Earth”, it stands alone as a novel, being set 200 years later and with new characters (though references are sometimes made to the previous characters).

The story starts with four children, playing in the woods. They witness a murder and a secret, and this event sets the stage for the events of their lives, which are chronicled. Follett draws us a picture of Medieval England that is vivid and accurate. His characters are unique and the main characters are all quite different. I listened to this story in the car while driving and still could easily follow the plot (which was definitely not for the kids at times!). John Lee’s narration was a great touch to the story; he excels at providing unique character voices.

All in all, a great story!

 

YA Review: Double by Jenny Valentine

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Through Net Galley, I received a free Kindle download of Jenny Valentine’s YA novel “Double” to review from Disney Publishing. This book was first published in Great Britain. “Double” tells the story of Chap – a young boy who is on the run and has been in and out of group homes for delinquents ever since his grandfather had an accident and was taken to a nursing home. The workers at the facility in which he is staying notice his incredible resemblance to a boy named Cassiel Roadnight – a boy who disappeared two years earlier during an evening celebration in his small town. Seeking to belong somewhere and to have a family, Chap tells them that he really is Cassiel – and so begins his attempt to take on the life on the missing boy, all the while worrying that the real Cassiel will show up and try to claim his life. However, as Chap settles into a routine with Cassiel’s family, he begins to discover that things may not be what they seem and that he is not the only one with secrets to hide.

I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down. It had suspense and mystery, yet it read quickly (less than 300 pages) and easily. I would recommend it for older YA readers due to intense themes. I would think that reluctant readers would enjoy it.

Thank you, Disney Hyperion, for sending me my copy!

Review: Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons

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My friend Dawn of “She Is Too Fond of Books” gave me a copy of “Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English” one day when we were having tea together. I started this book, then lost it in my bedside pile of books, finding it again and finishing it recently. I just loved this charming novel which was originally published in Great Britain as “Mr. Rosenblum’s List”.

In this story, Jack and his wife Sadie, along with daughter Elizabeth, have come to England as German Jewish refugees during WWII. He is given a list created for refugees of ways that they can acclimate to life in England. Mr. Rosenblum takes this list to heart and adds items of his own of what a “proper English gentleman” should do. His wife, Sadie, however, still holds emotional ties to Germany and her lost family there. Over time Jack builds a business, shops at the “right” stores, and acts and dresses like an Englishman. His final quest is to join a golf club. However, being Jewish, entry is denied to him again and again. Being a resourceful man, Jack takes matters in his own hands and decides to build his own golf course. He moves his family to Dorset and begins to single-handedly – and by hand – put in a golf course in the wild English countryside.Will his determination see him through?

I just loved this charming book, which is actually based in part on Ms. Solomons’ grandparents experience. While it was humorous, it was also poignant. Sadie’s difficulties in letting go of the past and her willingness to stand by Jack, against her better judgment, was touching. Seeing Elizabeth grow up into a Englishwoman, fully acclimated to her new country, made me think of how many families had similar experiences after the war. But Jack is the hero of this book. You can’t help but root for him as he realizes that friendship and acceptance and identity are all things that can be cultured, but that also come undeniably, in part, from within.