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My Ten Favorite Reads of 2024

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I read over 150 books this year, and these were my favorites. Most lists of top reads are books published in the current year. None of these books happened to be published in 2024; this is just the year I read them. I don’t often read books when they first come out. I did read several books from 2024, but none of them made my particular list.

I read across many genres as this list will attest. All of these are ones I enjoyed enough to give five stars. If I enjoy a book all the way through (without a snooze fest in the middle) and am happy with the ending, I will generally give it 5 stars. I’m not necessarily grading the writing or questioning their research. These are just books that made me happy, that I would read again, and that I would gladly recommend to others–starting with you.

I had four books in the historical fiction category (one of those a historical mystery); one mystery; one fantasy; three contemporary or literary fiction; and one biography.

  1. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (2023). In Maine, 1789. Martha Ballard, a local midwife, is called in to examine a body found frozen in the ice. She recognizes the man has someone who has caused trouble to many in town, including being accused of rape. Martha knows everyone in town and is privy to most of their secrets. Over the next several months, she testifies as to the cause of death (though a new doctor from Harvard disagrees with her) as well as being a witness of another man accused of rape, a prominent judge. Ballard is based on a real midwife of that time who kept a diary that has been preserved. Lawhon does an excellent job of telling her story, making the time and place come alive. I read this with a book group and everyone loved it

2. Lonesome Dove Larry McMurty. (1985). I read this Pulitzer winner (fiction in 1986), beginning in January as a slow read throughout the year with an online group. McMurty is an awesome writer who knows how to create memorable characters. Former Texas Rangers, now running a ranch where they break and sell horses, decide to make a cattle drive to Montana where the grass is green and land abundant. At times hilarious and others heart-breaking, these wannabe cowboys are ones you will cheer for through all 858 pages.

3. Florence Adler Swims Forever Rachel Beanland. (2020) Though this book is full of sadness, I enjoyed reading about this family and what they did to handle their grief and protect their children. It’s 1934 and Esther and Joseph Adler have rented out their house to vacationers and are staying in their apartment over the bakery where they started their lives. Their daughter, Florence, is home from college and training to swim the English Channel. Fannie is pregnant and on bedrest because she lost her last baby. Joseph is trying to help an old friend emigrate from Nazi Germany and has already brought over her daughter. The author’s note at the end is not to be missed. P.S. I read her second book, The House is on Fire and it was excellent as well.

4. Sovereign C.J. Sansom. (2006) (Matthew Shardlake #3). The third in this historical mystery series takes place in the fall of 1541. Henry VIII has set out on a Progress to the North to force his rebellious subjects in York to submit to him, turning it into a public spectacle. Lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak have been sent ahead as part of the legal process of submitting petitions to the king. Shardlake has also been instructed by Archbishop Cranmer to look after a prisoner—one destined for the tower. He must make sure the prisoner stays alive to face the rack. Shardlake is unhappy with this task but has little choice. Shardlake soon finds himself investigating a murder and learning more than he wants to know about a conspiracy. Will he and Jack make it home alive? This is an excellent series in terms of historical events and people, constant suspense, and engaging characters. 5 stars. (Note: Sadly, Sansom died just two days before the Shardlake series premiered on Hulu/Disney).

5. The Twist of a Knife Anthony Horowitz (Hawthorne & Horowitz #4). (2022) In this fourth installment of the series, Horowitz tells Hawthorne he is not interested in writing any more books. He has a new play about to open, and all his concentration is on that. On opening night, a well-known (though not well-loved) critic shows up at the cast party and before the night is over, writes a scathing review of the play. When she is found dead the next morning, Anthony is arrested for her murder. Who can he call on but Hawthorne? As with the other books in the series, Horowitz (via Hawthorne) leads us through a slew of suspects who all have motives, yet there are twists and surprises at the end. 

6. The Winners Fredrik Backman (Beartown Trilogy #3). (2022). We return to Beartown where two years have passed since the event that shook up the town in the first book. Maya has gone away to college; Benji has been traveling around as if in a daze; Peter is working for his wife, Kira. The death of someone in the community brings the wanderers home and everyone back together; for a time. Backman has a way of bringing his characters to life so that you share their heartaches, frustrations, misunderstandings, hate, and love. At times, this one got a little long, but I certainly didn’t want to put it down.

7. The Cartographers Peng Shepherd (2022). Nell Young has always been fascinated with cartography and wants to do nothing else. Not so surprising since her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a well-known cartographer with a highly esteemed position with the New York Public Library. But, some years ago, Dr. Young fired his daughter from her job at the NYPL and made sure she would never work again in the field. Nell never learned why her father became so enraged over her finding of a cheap gas station highway map. And now, Dr. Young has been found dead in his office. When Nell finds the supposedly worthless map hidden in his desk, she has to investigate. What she finds leads her into danger and into a strange world where maps have secrets. I greatly enjoyed this fantasy where different worlds and secrets collide.

8. The Most Fun We Ever Had Claire Lombardo (2019). Family drama in which four adult daughters–whose parents seem to have the perfect marriage—bring love, hate, jealousy, comedy, and drama to the table. The story goes back and forth in time from when Marilyn and David fell madly in love to the present day when an unexpected member of the family shows up–bringing tension, love, and forgiveness. The four daughters have different personalities and different goals, but their ties are strong. I loved the story itself as well as the way the family dynamics played out. 

9. Vacationland Meg Mitchell Moore (2022). A family drama set in Maine during the summer. Louisa comes to her parents’ home in Maine with her three children (who are just the best characters!) needing to finish her book and full of resentment over her husband’s seeming lack of commitment. Her father, a well-respected judge, is now suffering with Alzheimer’s, and her mother is trying to keep everything together. Kristie has also come to Maine following the death of her mother, trying to find answers concerning her past. Most family dramas seem to involve adult children, which is fine, but I greatly enjoyed hearing the voices of these three: Matty (age 12), Abigail (10), and Claire (7). Their wisdom, perspective, and charm added depth to the book and made even the darkest moments lighter.

10. Being Elisabeth Elliot: The Authorized Biography: Elisabeth’s Later Years Ellen Vaugn (2023). Though I’ve known that Elisabeth Elliot was the wife of Jim Elliot, a missionary killed in Ecuador, that’s pretty much all I knew about her. A shame since she was living and writing during my younger years. So, this book relates the second part of Elliot’s life. I did not read the first book, so that’s not necessary but I would like to go back and read it. Though Elliot went through many heartaches and faced discouragement and despair (including often not pleasing the “Christian crowd”), her faith remained strong and she constantly looked to the Lord for answers and direction. Unfortunately, she did not always make the best decisions and there was one that would cause her much grief. A good example of the impact Elisabeth had on others was given by Cornell Capa, a non-believing photographer who spent some time with Elisabeth and other “missionary widows.” In spite of his own unbelief, Cornell saw that Elisabeth’s faith was deep. “Then there’s you—and a million others—who are not satisfied with the trimmings. You are in the core. You know that He is there because you know He is there. You know that it seems God was NOT THERE when you wanted Him, yet you say you know He was there.”

Happy New Year! May 2025 be filled with many great reads!

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” Psalm 145:3

Favorite Reads from August ’24

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“The only ethical principle which has made science possible is that the truth shall be told all the time. If we do not penalize false statements made in error, we open up the way for false statements by intention. And a false statement of fact, made deliberately, is the most serious crime a scientist can commit.”
― Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night

Gaudy Night Dorothy Sayers (Lord Peter Wimsey #12) From a mystery series written back in the 1930’s, we meet Harriet Vane, a graduate of Shrewsbury College, Oxford and now a popular mystery writer, going back to attend the annual Gaudy celebration after ten years. While there, Harriet receives a poison pen letter, but goes back home thinking little of it. When other malicious and vandalous acts occur, Harriet is asked to come back to help the professors find out who is behind them, wanting to avoid calling in the police. Though Harriet agrees, she feels in over her head and eventually asks her friend, Lord Peter Wimsey, for help. This mystery is told with an engaging with and through many philosophical conversations. Several in my book club found it too long and wordy, but others (including myself) enjoyed the entertaining dialogue and the chance to improve our vocabulary. 4 stars

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration Isabel Wilkerson (audio—Robin Miles). (non-fiction) From 1915-1970, an exodus of almost six million black people left the South for a better life in the northern and western parts of the U.S. Wilkerson chose three very different people from different decades to illustrate the whys and hows of this migration. Ida Mae Gladney left sharecropping in Mississippi in 1937 and moved to Chicago. George Starling left Florida in 1945 for Harlem. A medical doctor, Robert Foster, left Louisiana in 1953 for California. Their struggles and successes and the changes these moves brought for their families has been well documented by Wilkerson with personal interviews and research. I listened to this on audio and though it got a bit long, I enjoyed it overall. Very interesting look at an important part of U.S. history. 4 stars

Finding Margaret Fuller Allison Pataki. (historical fiction) In 1836, Margaret Fuller was invited by Ralph Waldo Emerson to come to his home and meet his friends who will become known as the Transcendentalists. Fuller becomes close friends with Emerson as well as Thoreau, and eventually Nathaniel Hawthorne. She also meets the Alcott family and enjoys the company of their three young daughters including Louisa May. Fuller forges her own path through her writings and begins to host a women-only literary salon. Horace Greeley hires her to write for his newspaper, and soon sends her to Europe where she becomes the first female foreign correspondent. Fuller falls in love with Italy and a particular Italian noble. A fascinating, though tragic, tale of a woman who made history in many ways yet is rarely heard of today. 4 stars

These Silent Woods Kimi Cunningham Grant. For eight years, Cooper has been living with his daughter, Finch, in total isolation in a cabin in the Appalachian woods. They do have one neighbor who knows Cooper’s secret, but Cooper doesn’t trust him and doesn’t appreciate the way Scotland keeps an obvious eye on the two of them.  Finch adores him, but since she knows only Scotland, Cooper, and the owner of the cabin, Jake, Finch’s approval doesn’t impress Cooper. Jake comes every year to bring them supplies, but one year he doesn’t show up. Cooper has some decisions to make. He knows he can’t stay there forever or keep Finch from the real world much longer. Though I was exasperated with Cooper and his decisions at times, overall, I enjoyed this one, especially the ending. 5 stars

The Golden Tresses of the Dead (Flavia de Luce #10) Alan Bradley. The tenth book in the Flavia de Luce series. If you haven’t met Flavia before, I suggest you go back and read the whole series. You won’t be disappointed. This one opens at the wedding of Flavia’s sister, Ophelia. A beautiful wedding in a small English town in the 1950’s. Beautiful until Ophelia cuts into her wedding cake and screams. Not being your average 12-year old, Flavia is intrigued rather than alarmed and quickly takes charge of the situation. With the help of Dogger, estate gardener and expert in many things, Flavia begins an investigation which, of course, will eventually include murder. 4 stars

I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons Peter S. Beagle. Dragon catcher/exterminator Gaius Aurelius Constantine Heliogabalus Thrax (please just call him Robert) has inherited the job from his father but his dream is to become a prince’s valet. He’s actually rather fond of some dragons. When he is called in to clean up the very infested castle of the king (whose daughter is desperate to impress a prince), the job leads to him meeting the prince’s valet. The valet needs a favor; a big favor concerning a dragon. Can Robert use this to his advantage? I loved these characters, and the way they came together to face their challenges. 5 stars

Vacationland Meg Mitchell Moore. A family drama set in Maine during the summer. Louisa comes to her parents’ home in Maine with her three children (who are just the best characters!) needing to finish her book and full of resentment over her husband’s seeming lack of commitment. Her father, a well-respected judge, is now suffering with Alzheimer’s, and her mother is trying to keep everything together. Kristie has also come to Maine following the death of her mother, trying to find answers concerning her past. Most family dramas seem to involve adult children, which is fine, but I greatly enjoyed hearing the voices of these three: Matty (age 12), Abigail (10), and Claire (7). Their wisdom, perspective, and charm added depth to the book and made even the darkest moments lighter. 5 stars

Favorite Reads of July ’24

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“As she reads these pages, something verging on magical happens, making her think for the very first time that books might be better than real life.” Clara Reads Proust Stephane Carlier

You may have thought by now that I didn’t finish any books in July, but, au contraire, I did complete quite a few books. Here are a few of them:

Poster Girls Meredith Ritchie. Historical fiction based on the Shell Assembly Plant which was built in Charlotte, NC during WWII. Maggie Slone has moved to Charlotte from Boston to be near her husband’s family while he is at war. Not wanting to totally depend on her in-laws, she gets a job at the plant though she does need her mother-in-law to help take care of her young twin daughters. Dropping off some books at the library, Maggie meets Kora Bell, whose husband is also in the war. Though Maggie is white and Kora, black, through their shared love of books, they become unlikely friends during the days of Jim Crow. Some interesting history about Charlotte that I was unaware of though I’ve lived her for over 30 years. Ritchie does a good job of showing the trials women went through during the war and what they did for themselves and their families as well as illustrating the racial tensions and misunderstandings that inevitably existed between neighbors and co-workers. 4 stars

Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food Ann Hood (essays). A group of essays centering around Hood’s life with food. Each comes with at least one recipe. Hood was raised in an Italian American family where her grandmother and mother were constantly cooking and keeping the family well-fed. Though she forged her own path, she never quite forgot her roots. No matter what life threw her, she always had cooking and sharing food to get through life’s toughest times. 4 stars

The Library Book Susan Orlean. (non-fiction) On April 29, 1986, a fire started in the Los Angeles Public Library. The fire reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was over, 400,000 books were gone and 700,000 were damaged. Though investigators spent much time and energy trying to discover the cause, over thirty years later, it is still unknown who or what started the fire. Besides covering the fire itself, Orlean tells of the history of this particular library, her own love of libraries, and some of the colorful characters that made up the Los Angeles Public Library. 4 stars



Same Time Next Summer Annabel Monaghan. Sam and her doctor fiancé, Jack, have come to her family’s beach house on Long Island. Sam is anxious to show this side of her family to Jack; their laid-back side. Jack doesn’t do laid-back, so is not as impressed as Sam would like. However, he’s willing to check out a wedding venue there since it means so much to Sam. Sam’s plans for a relaxing few days at her childhood beach are quickly ruined when she finds out Wyatt, the boy who broke her heart when she was 17, is also in town. Can Sam lay things to rest with Wyatt? On top of that, Sam might be getting fired from her job in Manhattan. And she can’t decide if that’s a bad thing or not. My second book by Monaghan and it did not disappoint. 4 stars

My Life in France Julia Child (memoir). In the later years of her life, Julia Child shared her early life in France with her husband, Paul’s, nephew, giving us a close-up look of the woman who brought French cooking to America as well as being a forerunner of the now popular cooking shows. Child first came to France in 1948 with her husband, Paul, a diplomat for the U.S. Paul Child had lived in France and could speak French, but Julia could neither speak French nor knew anything about the country or culture. With her boundless enthusiasm, Julia began to get to know her new country by going to the marketplace and taking classes at the Cordon Bleu. The rest as they say, is history. I enjoyed hearing about Julia’s experiences in her own words as well as letters from family and friends. 4 stars

James Percival Everett (audio). A re-telling of Mark Twain’ s Huckleberry Finn, tells the story of the slave, Jim, who decides to run when he hears he is to be sold. The young Huck Finn decides to fake his death to escape his abusive father. Not knowing the other is running, they find each other on Jackson Island, and their flight from danger begins. Everett follows Twain’s story in many ways, but in this one, we see the intelligence of Jim and what he does to hide that from white men. A couple of other twists occur, making this a great one for book clubs. 4 stars

The Cartographers Peng Shepherd. Nell Young has always been fascinated with cartography and wants to do nothing else. Not so surprising since her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a well-known cartographer with a highly esteemed position with the New York Public Library. But, some years ago, Dr. Young fired his daughter from her job at the NYPL and made sure she would never work again in the field. Nell never learned why her father became so enraged over her finding of a cheap gas station highway map. And now, Dr. Young has been found dead in his office. When Nell finds the supposedly worthless map hidden in his desk, she has to investigate. What she finds leads her into danger and into a strange world where maps have secrets. I greatly enjoyed this fantasy where different worlds and secrets collide. 5 stars

Clara Reads Proust Stephane Carlier; translator-Polly MacKintosh (French). Clara is a hairdresser at Cindy Coiffure. Her job is okay for now, but she wonders if she couldn’t be doing more. When a customer leaves behind the first volume of Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, Clara puts it away but when the customer never returns, she ends up picking it up and reading it. Clara becomes engrossed in a new world and suddenly cannot stop reading. How the book (and subsequent volumes) changes her life makes for a charming read. This is the only book by Carlier translated into English. I hope more of his books will be translated soon. 4 stars

What You Wish For Katherine Center (audio). Katherine Center is becoming one of my go-to authors when I want an entertaining romance, yet they are not shallow or fluffy. Just characters going through stuff and eventually finding love. In this one, Sam is a school librarian who is happy with her job. When the school announces the name of the new principal, Sam is not sure if she should be excited or dismayed. Duncan Carpenter is a name from her past, a fellow teacher from another school, an unrequited crush. But when Duncan shows up and begins immediately to establish new and more rigid rules, she wonders if her memory is faulty because this is not the fun and unpredictable Duncan she remembers. 4 stars

Favorite Reads of May ’24

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“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

The Kingdoms of Savannah George Dawes Green. Savannah is a beautiful city to visit—full of history, good food, and atmosphere. But, for the people who live there, there is a darker side which can go unseen unless you know where to look. When a building burns down with a homeless man inside, an unsavory developer is arrested for his murder. Declaring his innocence, he seeks to hire Morgana Musgrove, a pillar of high society, to prove his innocence. Morgana, in turn, pressures her four grown children to help her. No one believes this man can possibly be innocent, but something is definitely going on amongst Savannah’s elite. I read this with a mystery book club. Most of us have visited Savannah at some time or other and are familiar with the landmarks mentioned in the book. A good mystery with some interesting history woven in. 4 stars

Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World Andrea Pitzer. I don’t know why I enjoy reading of these arctic explorations, but I have read several and find them fascinating. It’s certainly not that I have any desire to walk in the footsteps of these men or even get on a boat and follow the paths of William Barents (as did the author). In spite of the failures of the voyages Barents was involved in, he is renowned for what he brought to the world of navigation. What the men survived (the ones who did) and how makes for entertaining and sometimes cringing reading. Reading of the many polar bear attacks and the effects of scurvy is not for the faint-hearted. They didn’t eat the bear because they didn’t care for the meat? And they didn’t think to use that fur for coats? Humans are strange creatures. One interesting discovery came when they found some barnacle geese on an island sitting on nests. For centuries, people did not understand that birds migrate. “Because these birds vanished each year from their European habitats and returned the following year but were never seen laying or nesting their eggs, it had been a matter of folk superstition common in England and Europe since the twelfth century that they grew out of driftwood, or perhaps shells grown on a ‘barnacle tree’ that fell in the water and matured.’ Barents would be credited with dissolving this myth though it would take many years for it to die completely. 4 stars

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake Amy E. Reichert. Romance and food—two of my favorite subjects. Lou is struggling to make her dream come true of building a successful French restaurant in Milwaukee. When a food critic visits the place on a bad day—a very bad day—Lou’s restaurant seems to be doomed. In spite of this and in spite of going through a bad break-up, Lou meets a charming English man and offers to give him a tour of her city. What she doesn’t know is that this man writes (incognito) as a food critic. And what he doesn’t know is that Lou is the owner of the awful Luella’s he visited one time. Will the truth come out and can their love survive it? 4 stars

Demon Copperhead Barbara Kingsolver. Winner of the Pulitzer and the Women’s Prize for Fiction, Kingsolver takes the well-known Dickens story of David Copperfield and places it in the mountains of southern Appalachia in the 21st century. Demon (nickname for Damon) lives with his mother in a trailer owned by the Peggotts who do what they can for Demon and his mother. After hurting her back, his mother becomes addicted to pain pills. When she marries Stoner for love and security, Demon’s life goes from bad to worse. Much worse. If you’re familiar with the story of David Copperfield, you know how some of this is going to play out, but the story is worth the ride. You will root for Demon and also want to shake him at times. 4 stars

Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships Sarah Grunder Ruiz. Jo Walker  has a condo on the beach she inherited from her grandmother and works on a yacht for a company that caters to different groups of people during the summer. She has made a bucket list of things to accomplish before her 30th birthday, all made in fun and something she has been sharing on her blog. A family tragedy sucks the fun out, but her best friend and nieces want to help her finish anyway. When she does one of the things on the list (kiss a handsome stranger), someone new enters her life. Since they both declare they don’t date (for various reasons), they try to at least to be friends. A sweet, though often sad, story of love, friendship, and family. 4 stars

The Housemaid Freida McFadden. I kept putting this down during the first half of the book. A little too disturbing for me. But, once I got past the halfway point, I had to know what was going on and who was really the crazy one. A woman who has recently gotten out of prison is desperate for a job, so she accepts one as a maid for a wealthy couple and their bratty child. The wife, Nina, makes things as difficult as possible for her, but how can she leave? She knows no one will want to hire an ex-con. Besides, there’s Andrew the kind and extremely handsome husband. Can he make things at least bearable? 5 stars

Favorite Reads of January ’24

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“Reading must be a daily spiritual practice for the Christian”–and not only the reading of the Scripture. Unlike our often shallower engagement with screens, reading asks something of us. It cultivates our imagination and increases our vision of the world.” Jessica Hooten Wilson in Reading for the Love of God (quoted in Christianity Today).

Florence Adler Swims Forever Rachel Beanland. It’s 1934 and Esther and Joseph Adler have rented out their house to vacationers and are staying in their apartment over the bakery where they started their lives together. Their daughter, Florence, is home from college and training to swim the English Channel. Their other daughter, Fannie, is pregnant and on bedrest because she lost her last baby. Joseph is trying to help an old friend emigrate from Nazi Germany and has already brought over her daughter adding to their overcrowded household. Their granddaughter, Gussie, (a delightful character) is also staying with them while their mother is in the hospital. Her father only visits her sporadically. Though this book is full of sadness, I enjoyed reading about this family and what they did to handle their grief and protect their children. The author’s note at the end is not to be missed. 5 stars

Killers of the Flower Moon David Grann. The true story of how the Osage nation began to mysteriously die (i.e. murdered) in an obvious attempt to take over their rights to the oil in their land. Also the story of the beginnings of the FBI under the leadership of J. Edgar Hoover. The research done by Grann is fascinating even as he tells a horrific story. It’s amazing what greed will do to people and the lengths some will go for money. More of it. All of it.  5 stars

A Death in Tokyo Keigo Higashino (Detective Kaga #3). A policeman sees a man staggering and assumes he is drunk. As it turns out, he is not drunk but has been stabbed and collapses on a famous bridge of Tokyo. A young man is found near the scene of the crime, but when he runs from the police, he is hit by a truck. The police seem to think (and hope) the case is closed, but Detective Kaga is unconvinced that this young man is guilty. When a work connection is established, I have read several mysteries by Higashino and have found them all to be well-written with characters whose motives may be suspect and with relationships that may not be all that they seem. This is actually the ninth in this series, but the third to be translated into English. 4 stars

Ovid (Marcus Corvinus #1) David Wishart. The first in a mystery series that takes place in Rome when Tiberius was emperor. Marcus Corvinus is approached by a young woman who was the stepdaughter of the poet, Ovid. She reminds Corvinus that his grandfather was the poet’s patron. Ovid has died in exile and Perilla wants to bring his ashes home. Unfortunately, not only has this not been allowed, to even speak of what had Ovid exiled can put a person in danger. Entranced by the lovely Perilla, Corvinus is determined to find out the truth behind Ovid’s exile and to bring his ashes home. Even when he is continually warned to mind his own business; especially when he is warned, even by his own father. Corvinus is amusing and tenacious, and just a fun character to follow. His attraction to Perilla leads to complications, but nothing he can’t handle. This series started in 1995 and is going strong some 20 books later. I look forward to reading more. 4 stars

Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diaries #2) Martha Wells. I listened to the audio for the first Murderbot and had a hard time following it. Reading it in print was a better format for me. And, yes, you should read the first in whatever format suits you. In this episode, Murderbot (his own name for himself; he is officially a robotic security unit) is both trying to escape and to find out if he really did what he has been accused of. He sneaks on a transport vessel to return to the mining facility where his problems began. ART (the transport vessel) is onto him, but turns out to be more of a help than a hindrance. Murderbot would rather watch the soaps and other television entertainment he has downloaded than deal with humans, but he needs to find out the truth. Though this is the second of seven, don’t let the length of the series deter you. For one thing, it is completed. For another, they are all (except the fifth one) short enough to be considered novellas, so it is like reading a long scifi book, one section at a time. 4 stars

Normal People Sally Rooney. A love story, sort of. A coming of age story, definitely. Connell is a popular soccer player in high school, in spite of living with only a single mother who works as a cleaner. One of the people she cleans for is Marianne’s mother. Marianne is smart and has money but is not popular at high school as she is considered a bit odd. Connell and Marianne are attracted to each other but keep it a secret. When they end up at the same college, their statuses are reversed, but they still have difficulty deciding on what kind of relationship they should have. I like Rooney’s writing; the way you see and hear the characters’ thoughts, confusions, desires. 4 stars

The Kingdom of Copper S. A. Chakraborty (The Darvabad Trilogy #2) 609 pp. Second in a series in which you do need to read the first and you will want to read the third. In the first book, The City of Brass, Nahri accidentally summoned Dara, a djinn. He takes her from her home in Cairo and brings her to Daevabad where she is taken in by the royal court and learns about her ancestors. After a battle ends the first book, Nahri has now been forced to marry a prince because the king has plans for her and her gifts. Nahri wants to rebuild a hospital and be able to use her healing gifts in a bigger way. The other prince (whom Nahri thought was her friend), Ali, has been exiled though many think he is dead. He is not the only one not dead as many think, and they all have plans for Daevabad. Full of myths, magic, political intrigue, and family drama, I enjoyed this almost as much as the first and look forward to the third. 4 stars

Favorite Reads of December ’23

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“Those of us who have been true readers all our life seldom fully realise the enormous extension of our being which we owe to authors. We realise it best when we talk with an unliterary friend. He may be full of goodness and good sense but he inhabits a tiny world. In it, we should be suffocated. The man who is contented to be only himself, and therefore less a self, is in prison. My own eyes are not enough for me, I will see through those of others. Reality, even seen through the eyes of many, is not enough. I will see what others have invented. Even the eyes of all humanity are not enough. I regret that the brutes cannot write books. Very gladly would I learn what face things present to a mouse or a bee; more gladly still would I perceive the olfactory world charged with all the information and emotion it carries for a dog.” C.S. Lewis

Archipelago Monique Roffey. This is my third novel by the Trinidadian writer, Roffey, and though they are all quite different, I have enjoyed each one. In this one, Gavin has lost his home and baby son because of a flood. In despair, he takes his young daughter, Ocean, and their dog, Susie, on a trip in his boat which he hasn’t used in some time. In his younger days, he and a friend had dreams of traveling to the Galapagos and now he decides to make that trip; or go as far as he can. Their journey takes them to many different places where they face challenges and meet other people who encourage them and give them hope. 4 stars

The Wager David Grann. This is the true story of the British vessel, The Wager, which left England in 1740 on a secret mission having to do with their war with Spain. In January 1742, a ramshackle boat landed on the coast of Brazil with thirty emaciated men, telling a tale of being shipwrecked on a desolate island. They were greeted as heroes, but six months later another boat landed on the coast of Chile with three castaways telling a very different tale than the first men. They claimed the first men were mutineers and had left them to die. Who was telling the truth and what really happened to The Wager and its crew? 4 stars

Howard’s End is on the Landing Susan Hill. “It began like this. I went to the shelves on the landing to look for a book I knew was there. It was not. But plenty of others were and among them I noticed at least a dozen I realized I had never read.” So, begins Hill’s year of reading only the books on her shelves, both discovering and re-discovering authors and books. Put together as a group of essays, Hill gives us a glimpse into her reading life and the books she wants to keep and reread. 4 stars

Small Things Like These Claire Keegan. Keegan, an Irish writer, tells the story of Bill Furlong, a coal merchant in 1985. While delivering coal one morning to the local convent, he makes a startling discovery about the treatment of some young women there. Furlong has five daughters and works hard to provide a good life for his family. Should he get involved or mind his own business? I had never heard of the Magdalen Laundries, so I had to do a little research to find out more about the truth of this story. 4 stars

The Searcher Tana French (Cal Hooper #1). Retired detective Cal Hooper moves from Chicago to a small village in Ireland. He buys a run-down cottage he plans to restore and wants to spend his time working on this project, fishing, and walking the mountains. His time as a detective are over. When a young boy begins spying on him and finally comes out to seek his help, he can’t help but begin an investigative search for the boy’s missing brother. All off the record, of course. Tana French is an automatic read for me as her books never disappoint. This one seemed different from her others to me, but what remains the same are a complex plot, interesting characters, and suspense that keeps you turning the pages. I was happy to hear that her new book coming out in 2024 will also feature Cal Hooper. 4 stars

Everyone Here is Lying Shari Lapena (audio—Renee Dorian and Teddy Hamilton). First of all, I loved this title. With some books, it takes more than the half of the book to understand the title (if you ever do), but not with this one. It starts with two people meeting in a motel room who are, of course, married to other people, and escalates from there. When William’s (the good doctor) lover tells him it’s over, he goes home in an ill frame of mind only to find his troublesome nine-year old daughter, Avery, home early from school. He loses his temper with her, leaves, and no one knows what happened to Avery after that. Well, someone knows if only the police can find the truth amidst all the lies and accusations. 5 stars

Apples Never Fall Liane Moriarty. I love Moriarty’s writing—her family relationships and her twisted plot lines. In this one, the Delaney family are a well-known tennis family in their community. The parents, Stan and Joy, have recently sold their tennis school and are having a hard time adjusting to retirement. Their four children, though all played tennis and showed promise, are now out of the game and living their own lives. One night a stranger, Savannah, knocks on the door of Stan and Joy. She tells them she fled from her boyfriend and has nowhere to go. Needing a project, Joy immediately takes her in. When Savannah moves in and seems to have no intention of leaving, Stan and Joy’s children are all suspicious and not happy with the arrangement. Later, Joy goes missing and no one knows what happened to Savannah. Where is Joy? Was Stan and Joy’s marriage as strong and happy as it seemed? What really happened on Valentine’s Day?  4 stars

Harbour Street Ann Cleeves (Vera Stanhope #6). It’s Christmas time and Detective Joe Ashworth and his daughter, Jessie, are on the crowded metro. When they have to stop because of the snow, one lady remains in our seat even after everyone else has gotten off. To Jessie’s horror, she discovers the woman is dead. Because the woman was stabbed, DI Vera Stanhope is called in and soon she and Joe are off to Mardle where Margaret lived to begin their investigation. Nothing is simple or straightforward about this investigation. Margaret had a secret past and Vera is convinced that learning all about her, even things that happened years ago, will reveal the killer. 4 stars

The Matzah Ball Jean Meltzer (audio). Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a rabbi’s daughter with a couple of secrets. One of them is that she loves Christmas and is a successful Christmas romance novelist (using a pen name). When her publisher wants her to write a Hanukkah romance, she panics, not seeing anything magical about Hanukkah. When she hears about a Matzah Ball being planned, she decides to go for inspiration. Unfortunately, there are no tickets left and really, unfortunately, the man in charge of the ball is her summer camp enemy, Jacob Greenberg. Can she convince Jacob to give her a ticket? And is he really the jerk she remembers from when they were twelve? 4 stars

Joy to the World: Daily Readings for Advent. Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Just as the title states, these are readings for advent written by the prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon. In a sermon preached by Spurgeon on December 23, 1855, he stated, “This is the season of the year when, whether we wish it or not, we are compelled to think of the birth of Christ.” He went on to say it was not a religious necessity to celebrate Christmas. “However, I wish there were ten or a dozen Christmas-days in the year” (as an opportunity to preach Christ). In these readings, Spurgeon begins with Genesis 3:15, the first promise of Christ and leads us to Bethlehem to prepare our hearts for His coming. 5 stars

Happy New Year & Happy Reading!

Favorite Reads from November ’23

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“Books help to form us. If you cut me open, will you find volume after volume, page after page, the contents of every one I have ever read, somehow transmuted and transformed into me? Alice in Wonderland. The Magic Faraway Tree. The Hound of the Baskervilles. The Book of Job. Bleak House. Wuthering Heights. The Complete Poems of W.H. Auden. The Tale of Mr. Tod. Howards End. What a strange person I must be. But if the books I have read have helped to form me, then probably nobody else who ever lived has read exactly the same books, all the same books and only the same books, as me. So just as my genes and the soul within me make me uniquely me, so I am the unique sum of the books I have read. I am my literary DNA.” Susan Hill in Howards End is on the Landing

A Southern gothic novel with a cast of characters that are at turns amusing and extremely dark–from a precocious girl playing detective to a snake-handler (warning: you will go to sleep dreaming of snakes of all kinds) to others crazy on meth and PTSD  The story takes place in Mississippi in the late 60’s or early 70’s. A nine-year old is killed while out playing in his yard. His younger sisters are also there but too young to know what happened. Twelve years later, the youngest sister, Harriet (who was only a baby at the time) decides she is going to solve the murder. Her mother spends most of her time in bed, but Harriet has the maid who also serves as a nanny, her grandmother and her great-aunts who all live nearby. Harriet also has her faithful friend, Hely, who is willing to go the crazy extra mile to help exact revenge. 4 stars

It’s the summer of 1976 in London and the middle of a heat-wave. Gretta is preparing breakfast when her newly retired husband goes out for a paper. Unfortunately, he doesn’t return. Now, Gretta’s three adult children come together (one of them needing to return from the U.S.), and their relationships—rocky at best—are tested as secrets and hurts are revealed. O’Farrell is one of my favorite writers and is skilled at writing family drama. 4 stars

My third Katherine Center book for this year; she is quickly becoming a favorite author when looking for a fun, comfort book. Romance that is not silly and deals with tough situations. Cassie is one of the few female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, and she excels in dealing with emergencies. Her mother (who left her and her father when she was sixteen), calls and asked her to come to Boston to help her deal with some medical issues. The last thing Cassie wants to do is be with her mother—for any reason—but she’s left with little choice. Though she gets a new job at a firehouse in Boston, the men there are not exactly thrilled with a “lady” firefighter. Except for one handsome rookie. 4 stars

Historical fantasy, this story takes place in 1912 where magic has been dwindling away for years. Biddy has grown up on Hy-Brasil, an island unknown to most of the world. Though she has no magic herself, she was raised by the mage Rowan who promises her that one day she will be able to see the world. For now, she is safer on the island. But, one night, Rowan does not return from one of his many nightly quests and Biddy knows she has to do something. When she enters Rowan’s dream, she learns that Rowan has powerful enemies and her isolated home may not be safe any longer. 4 stars

Margo seems like a normal middle-aged librarian, both friendly and helpful. But Margo is not her real name. She is actually a former nurse who is in hiding because of the numerous premature deaths that happened to patients in her care. When Patricia joins the staff, she mostly keeps to herself, nursing her grievance over her failed attempts to become an author. When she finds Margo in the bathroom one day with a patron who is dying, she begins to do a little research on her colleague. 3 stars

Arthur, an 85 year old widow, goes to the cemetery every day to visit his wife. Maddy, a teenage girl whose mother died when she was a baby and whose father seems clueless with what to do with her, also visits the cemetery on a regular basis (mostly just to avoid school and other people). One day she overhears Arthur talking and decides to meet him and introduces herself. The two become friends, and soon Arthur invites her to his home for lunch and to meet his cat. When Maddy gets into some trouble, Arthur is there to help along with his neighbor, Lucille, another lonely soul. I haven’t read Elizabeth Berg in several years, though I’ve always enjoyed her, so it was nice to come back. 4 stars

After pastry chef, Olivia Rawlings, prepares a flaming dessert for a Boston dinner club and ends up setting the whole building on fire, she decides to leave town and regroup.  Her best friend, Hannah, lives in Guthrie, Vermont, so she goes there and gets a job at the Sugar Maple Inn. Even though it is not easy to win over the rather grouchy owner, Margaret, Olivia settles in and begins making her amazing desserts. She soon becomes friends with Margaret’s best friend and her family, including her son, Martin. Martin has only come home because his father is dying. Music brings them all together though. Olivia wants to fit in and stay here, but does she really belong? And will Martin stay? Or go back to Seattle? 4 stars

Now is the time to finish some reading challenges, prepare for new challenges, and, hopefully, do some Christmas reading. Along with other books, I’m reading Charles Spurgeon’s Joy to the World Advent: Daily Readings for Advent. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas & enjoy some reading!

Favorite Reads of October ’23

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“But while I can conceive of someone filling up a 100+ book Goodreads goal with pure garbage and being the worse off for it, truthfully, I would prefer every over-indulgent reader of modern pulp to every non-reader and philistine in the world who denies the value of books generally. The excess, in this case, is nearer to the virtue than the deficiency. So, while spending time each semester closely reading Plato, Aristotle, the Founding Fathers, and more, I shall continue to fill up my Goodreads goal counter with a mix of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the Great, and I shall be the better for it.” Philip Bunn in his essay “In Defense of Voracious Reading”

Homecoming Kate Morton’s books always involve a dual timeline and a mystery of some sort. I loved this one from the shocking prologue to the twisted and surprising ending. On an extremely hot Christmas Eve in 1959, in a small town in South Australia, a delivery man decides to take his horse for a swim before returning home. The horrifying scene he comes upon leads to a murder investigation that rocks the small town for years to come. Sixty years later, Jess, who has worked in London for the past twenty years, receives a call from Sydney letting her know her grandmother, Nora, has had a fall and is in the hospital. Jess returns to her childhood home only to find her grandmother confused and unable to tell her what she had been looking for in her attic. When Jess finds a book in her grandmother’s bedroom telling of the Turner Family Tragedy, she is intrigued and begins to dig into what turns out to be part of her own family history. 5 stars

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis. I don’t read a lot of science fiction, but if more were as delightful as this one, I would definitely read more. The second of Willis’s time travel books, we are now in 2060 where Ned has made too many trips to the past in search of a “Victorian atrocity” (the bishop’s bird stump which you will not totally understand till near the end of the book). He is sent back to Victorian times because that was a peaceful time and, hopefully, he will get some rest. But, no rest for Ned as he is set in the midst of a wild cast of characters (to say nothing of the dog, Cyril, a delightful character in his own right) and soon learns that a cat (which are extinct in 2060) has somehow gone through the net and Ned’s own appearance has caused Terence to miss meeting his future fiancé and Verity has come and needs Ned’s help in setting things right. If not, disaster may strike during World War II or maybe the Battle of Waterloo. I could go on, but I hope you get the picture and will pick this one up. 5 stars

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray. Read for a book club, this historical fiction book tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene who became J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian at a time when women still didn’t have the vote. She helps him obtain rare manuscripts, books, and artwork and becomes famous for both her intelligence and audacity, not only in the New York art world, but also in Europe. But Belle had a secret and it was one she took to her grave. Belle was listed as “colored” on her birth certificate. Because of her light skin, her mother separated from her father and raised her and her siblings as white. Belle’s father, Richard Greener, was the first black graduate of Harvard and very involved in seeking equality for people of color. Belle had been close to her father, but because of her mother’s decision, and eventually her own, Belle had no contact with her father for years. I found this a very interesting portrayal of a woman who achieved great success at the cost of losing her father and her own heritage. Not mentioned in the book (even in the author’s notes) was when Belle’s racial status was discovered. It was not until 1999 (almost fifty years after her death) that a writer working on a biography of J.P. Morgan found Greene’s birth certificate with a “C” on it for colored. 4 stars

Seven Women and the Secret of their Greatness by Eric Metaxas. From Joan of Arc to Rosa Parks, Metaxas profiles seven women from history who made an impact upon the world they lived in and even the future. These mini-biographies tell a great story of each woman—where they came from and how they became the women they were. 4 stars

Favorite Reads for August ’23

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I’ve read several times lately that the blog is dead. I do listen to more podcasts than I read blogs, but there have been several blogs I enjoyed following and the writers have quit for different reasons. Most of the blogs I follow are about reading; book reviews especially. I suspect that one reason there are not as many of these can be pointed to the rise of the YouTube channels where people review, recommend, and highlight books. Personally, I don’t have the patience to watch these, though I have tried several. I can listen to podcasts while driving or doing dishes, etc. As I much prefer to read the reviews and thoughts of others concerning what they’re reading, I’m going to post my own thoughts monthly rather than just once or twice a year. No spoilers here. My reviews are brief and do not include major plot details or synopses. So, without further ado, my reviews for August.

I completed fourteen books in August, but I will only share reviews of my top six. For a more complete picture, you can always check out my goodreads profile.

Bloomsbury Girls by Natlie Jenner. Historical fiction taking place in London in 1950. Bloomsbury Books has been in business for a hundred years and not much has changed in that time. It is run and guided by men, but changes are coming with several key women leading the charge. When the manager becomes ill, they get their chance to prove their worth and work hard to do so. Some well-known literary figures of their time (including Daphne Du Maurier and Ellen Doubleday) appear and help the women in different ways to prove that women have a place in the publishing and writing industries. I listened to the audio narrated by Juliet Stevenson who did a fabulous job. 4 stars

I really loved this book and looked forward to watching the adaptation on Netflix. I couldn’t get past the first thirty minutes. Curious if anyone who hasn’t read the book would like it. Helen, a kindergarten teacher, age 32, has been divorced for a year and she wants to do something different. Something to change her life. So, she signs up for a wilderness course even though she has not even gone camping before. When her younger brother’s best friend practically hijacks her for a ride, she is less than pleased to learn he is going on the same course. Even though she wants them to act like they don’t know each other, the attraction is undeniably there and to Helen’s further disgruntlement, Jake is everyone’s favorite and he manages to save her life more than once. 5 stars

Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World by Eric Metaxas. I’ve read a couple of books about Luther. Probably my first was in college for a world history class. I wish I could remember the discussions we had and my professor’s comments but far too long ago. Luther was a complex and controversial man, but no one can deny his place in the church and in the world. Metaxas covers Luther’s life and comments on what has become legend and how much truth there may be in some of the stories. Hearing some sermons about Jesus and his dealings with the Pharisees at the same time I was reading about Luther and his conflicts with the Pope and Catholic church made me see quite a few similarities. Though I don’t agree with everything Luther said (and he said and wrote a lot!), his story is fascinating and we all owe a great debt to him.

Olive Again by Elizabeth Strout. Following the Pulitzer prize winning, Olive Kitteridge, we meet Olive again in later life. Though Olive has mellowed somewhat, she is still her prickly, yet honest self, as we meet different people who cross her life in a small town in Maine. This is a novel which reads as a group of short stories that revolve around one woman. Though some people find Olive unbearable, there are others who admit they always kind of liked her. Me, too. 4 stars

Her Lost Words by Stephanie Marie Thornton. Historical fiction. A tale of two women, a mother and daughter. Wollstonecraft escapes from a abusive home and becomes a champion of women’s rights in the late 1700’s. Her “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” was published by a man who supported and encouraged her as a woman writer when many others wouldn’t. Refusing to marry because she believed marriage was just another form of bondage, she became involved with a man, bore his child, and was soon deserted. Her daughter, Mary Shelley, never knows her mother but longs to emulate her and follow her in her footsteps. She falls in love with the married Percy Shelley and follows him in spite of being shunned by family and society. Though she doesn’t believe she has the writing talent her mother had, she is challenged to write a story and begins to write what we know today as “Frankenstein”. I enjoyed reading about both of these two women as I knew very little about either. Thornton brings to life, not only the two women, but the times they lived in. 4 stars

A Necessary Evil by Abir Mukherjee (Sam Wyndham #2). India, 1920. British Captain Wyndham and his sergeant Banerjee (better known as Surrender-Not) are in a car with a Maharajah’s son when the prince is assassinated before their eyes. Even though they quickly track down the killer, Wyndham is not satisfied that the murder has been solved. He manages to convince his superiors to let him go the kingdom of Sambalpore to further investigate. Was it the work of a religious fanatic? Or what about the prince’s playboy brother who is now next in line to the throne? Even the wives of the Maharajah are not above suspicion. I enjoyed this second book as much as the first and look forward to continuing the series. 4 stars

North Carolina Writers

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One of the reading challenges I have participated in this year is the 2020 #mmdchallenge (The Modern Mrs. Darcy, aka Anne Bogel) which includes twenty-four different challenges. One of these challenges is to read a book by a local author. Bogel, a Kentucky native, posted a list of Kentucky authors a few weeks ago, so I am going to present a list of North Carolina authors. Though not exhaustive (we have quite a few writers to be proud of), here’s a few of my favorites.

The book I intend to read for this challenge is Down the River by John Hart. This will be my first book by Hart though he has written several thrillers set in North Carolina. Born in Durham, Hart is also one of the many lawyers turned writer who are putting out books today. This particular book was a Barry Award nominee and an Edgar Award winner in 2008.

Robert Morgan is a poet and author with many books and awards to his credit. I’ve read Gap Creek twice which won the North Carolina Literature Award as well as the James G. Hanes Poetry Prize. This “story of a marriage” takes place in the mountains at the end of the 19th century. Julie Harmon works hard–“hard as a man” and she needs to in order for the couple to survive. Morgan is a wonderful storyteller, and two other books I can recommend are The Road from Gap Creek and Brave Enemies.

 

Wiley Cash has written several best-sellers and serves as writer-in-residence at UNC-Asheville. I wrote a review of The Last Ballad  https://pmgilmer.com/2018/01/04/wiley-cash-the-last-ballad/  a couple of years ago. The Last Ballad is also a book I’ve read twice–the second time when my library group selected it for that month’s read. The book tells the true story of woman, Ella May Wiggins, who tried to help form unions for the textile industry in 1929. Her courage and determination to help herself, her family, and others like her makes for a gripping read.

A native of Asheville, Sarah Addison Allen writes sweet, romantic family dramas with a bit of magical realism. Her first book, Garden Spells, tells the story of the Waverly women who are guardians of an apple tree that contains strange and magical properties. Drawing on her grandmother’s culinary traditions, Claire has built a successful catering business. When her sister returns home, her young daughter in tow, Claire’s quiet, ordered life is turned around–but in a good way.

I’ve loved the characters and relationships in all of Allen’s books. This quote from First Frost is a good example of their personalities. “Oh, please. Everyone in this town always says that like you have to be born here to understand things. I understand plenty. You’re only as weird as you want to be.”

Charles Frazier is best known for his first novel, Cold Mountain, the story of a Confederate soldier making his way home after the war. That story was based on stories from Frazier’s great-great-great grandfather as well as local stories and legends. It’s been several years since I read this one, but I remember the capitivating narrative told in a beautiful way.

Another book I enjoyed by Frazier was Thirteen Moons. As a “bound” boy, twelve-year old Will Cooper is sent to run an trading post in Cherokee territory. He becomes friends with Bear, a Cherokee chief, and is adopted into his tribe. Frazier writes descriptively of the time period, the scenery, and the growth and adventures of Will.

“What I wanted to do was slap him down a bit with wit and word. Grammar and vocabulary as a weapon. But what kind of world would it be if we all took every opportunity presented to us to assault the weak?”

One more author I will mention–Ron Rash, a poet, short-story writer, and novelist who was born in South Carolina and teaches at Western Carolina University. I’ve read several poems and stories by Rash as well as his novel The Cove though he is better known for his novel, Serena, which was also made into a movie.

The Cove takes place near the town of Mars Hill in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina during the time of the Great War (or WWI). A young woman, Laurel, lives with her brother, Hank, who has recently returned from fighting in France. Laurel finds a man in the woods nearly dead from yellow jacket stings. Mute, the man carries only a silver flute and a note saying his name is Walter and he is on his way to New York. Walter also carries a secret which may prove a threat to Laurel and Hank as the war in Europe is coming to an end.

As with Frasier and Cash, Rash is able to bring you back in time and to another place and helping you to understand a little part of history.

Any other North Carolina writers you would like to recommend? Or your favorite one from another state?