Pardonable Lies- The Third Maise Dobbs Mystery - Jacqueline Winspear
I couldn't wait till this one came out in paperback so I borrowed it from the library. I adored the first two in this series but this was possible my favorite of the three. Maise Dobbs and her assistant Billy are contacted by a man looking to prove that his only son died in WWI. His wife insisted her son was still alive and contacted various mediums and seers trying to prove he was not dead. On her death bad, she begs her husband to continue the search. Bowing to her dying wishes, he hires Maise to prove his child's demise even though no remains where found. At the same time, Maise is approached by her best friend from college who, coincidently, requests the exact same thing. Namely, that Maise discover what happened to her brother who disappeared while serving during WWI. Maise hesitates to return to Paris and re-live her own horrible war memories but she decides to take on the tasks.
The mystery was a page turner and the theme throughout the book was, under what circumstance is it better to lie than tell the truth? Is there such a thing as a pardonable lie? Maise is faced with this puzzle in both her personal and professional life and grapples with the answer of if the truth is always the best recourse. Once again, Maise is painted as someone who has carefully walled herself off from everyone else. She is smart and successful but oh so very alone. I keep waiting for Winspear to break through Maise's walls but so far there are only signs of cracks.
This is a wonderful series and has been nominated/won almost every mystery writing award out there. I can't wait for the next...
Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin by Nancy Atherton
Another old time favorite of mine. I haven't been quite as charmed by the last few in this series but this one was one of the best. Lori Sheppard volunteers in a hospital where she meets a terminally ill woman whom she befriends. Upon her new friend's death, Lori is charged with finding her missing brother and discovering the many secrets of her friend's life. Lori quickly learns that her friend went out of her way to get to know the people around her. She talked to shop keepers and supported local resturants. She listened and lent a hand where ever possible. In this crazy world, it's so easy to breeze past people without every acknowledging they are people. Do you know they name of the cashier at your grocery story? The owner at your favorite resturant? It's a lesson I know I needed to learn. Of course, Lori unravels the mystery, unites two young lovers, and tells all to her beloved Aunt Dimity.
Loved this book. So sweet. So kind. These books never take me long to read but they are a nice little mid-week pick me up.
Light From Heaven by Jan Karon
Ah, Father Tim. I just love these books. They are sweet, and uplifting and kind. Just what I needed. Father Tim and Cynthia are starting up a new church and meeting a new host of funny back woods characters. Faith, truth and compassion are the touchstones of this book. One of my favorite quotes from this book runs along the lines of, if you want to know a man's heart, tell me not what he reads, but what he re-reads. (Or something to this effect.) Well, this book is one I would re-read for it's sweet and uplifting message about faith. There's lots of praying and saving and hallelula-ing in this book so be warned! But sometimes, that's just what the soul craves.
Memories of Ice - Volume Three of the Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson.
In book three, Erikson picks back up with the heros from book one. This is not surprising since practically everyone from book two is dead. In book three, a new evil is discovered and our troop of heros broker and tenative truce with their enemies to fight a larger foe. Again, lots of heros and blood and valor. And then, once again, Erikson pulls the carpet out from under me and kills off everyone! Again! I couldn't believe it. Those few that managed to survive book one and two and once again slaughtered in the last battle. I just can't take it! Erikson does such a great job of creating this incredible flawed heros that you love and root for and then. Bam-o. He mows them down. There are another 7 books in this series but I've decided to take a break. I just can't have my heart broken again by watching them die one by one. I love the writing and the characters too much to keep going in the is series. I'll definately come back to this series but I need some fluff inbetween to keep me happy!
Deadhouse Gates - Volume Two of the Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson.
Having just finished the first, I was anxious to find out what happens next. Imagine my surprise when one four original characters continued into this novel!! Yup, we have a while new cast of characters, places and plots to digest in this tale. Like the first, it's very gritty, grim and bloody. So bloody that very few remain standing at the end of the tale. I really loved the plot and could barely but this book down but.... everyone dies! After 800 pages of watching the heros slog through, it was soul retching to watch them fall, one by one, before the end. I was crushed by the end. I couldn't believe they were all dead. I just couldn't believe it. I figured there must be a twist for I found the next in the series and held on to my belief that things must turn around in Memories of Ice, the third in the series.
Gardens of the Moon - Volume One of the Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson.
I have been on a mystery kick for a while so I thought I'd switch gears and picked up an epic fantasy that had been on my shelf for a while. Don't remember who recommended it but it seemed like a typical sword and sorcery book so I thought to give it a shot.
At first, I didn't like this book. It seemed like a rip of of Glen Cook's Black Company with a band of mercenaries caught up in an epic battle between relms. But then, as I read, I found myself engulfed. They say there is nothing wrong with copying a good idea if you make it your own and Steven Erikson does just that. This is not a poor Tolkien knock-off. Erikson takes tried and true stories and makes them all his own. It's a bloody war full of extreme exhaustion, valor, and betrayal. It's one of those books that has a cast of characters and an index of places and terms you have to use to remember who is aligned with who. Gods meddle with mortals and mortals slay Gods. No one is safe in Erikson's hand and some of my favorites died.
After finishing this book, I decided to continue the series while the names and plots were still in my head so I launched into the next in the series, Deadhouse Gates./
The Serpent on the Crown by Elizabeth Peters
I found the next in the series out in paperback already so I snatched it up. This book isn't a flash back but a continuation of the Emerson clan adventures. Poor Elizabeth Peters has a daunting task. Her cast of characters has grown to astronomical proportions. Of course, we have Amelia and her husband Emerson. Add their son, Ramses and his wife, Nefret, along with their twins. Then there is the best friend, David, and his family. Black sheep turned hero, Uncle Sethos, Cyrus and wife, their servants, workers, and of course, new characters to add to the plot line. It's amazing she can work in any new adventure. But, somehow, she manages to jump back and forth between view points and plots as each grouping head off in different adventures. The mystery surrounds a "cursed" artifact. The Emerson's discover where the artifact comes from and dispell the curse. This books is a big build up to the next in the series and merely whets the palate for the next big adventure. I don't know if I can wait! My only regret is that all these characters mean Amelia has to share the stage and she is by far my favorite. I need more! More!
Guardian on the Horizon by Ellizabeth Peters
This is the yet another in the Amelia Peabody series that I love. In this book, we jump back in time to watch the Emersons trek back to the oasis where they discovered Nefret as a child. I'm not sure what Elizabeth Peters decided to go back in the series. I adore any adventure featuring Ms. Amelia but there didn't seem to be much point to this book aside from an mystery adventure and I found myself puzzled as to why she felt it necessary to write this book. Sure, we learned a bit more about Nefret but it was a bit odd to be watching Ramses pine away from her when we all now that they eventually fall in love. So while it is a typical Emerson adventure, it wan't one of my favs.