The jewel that was ours, by Colin Dexter

 

This is another complex mystery set in Cambridge at the end of the 1980s or early 1990s. Inspector Morse is called in to solve the theft of a historical artifact that was going to be donated to the Ashmolean Museum. Its owner died of a heart attack right after the jewel was stolen, complicating the investigation. When a Cambridge professor was found murdered the next day, it becomes clear that there is a more complex conspiracy afoot. Well-written and fast-paced as usual, this book kept me guessing until the end.

Harlem shuffle, by Colson Whitehead

 

I really enjoyed this crime novel set in 1950s and 1960s Harlem. Ray Carney is a furniture salesman with a side job as a fence for stolen furniture and jewelry. He gets roped into a more serious offense when his cousin Eddie volunteers his help during a hotel robbery, resulting in his getting ever deeper into the crime world. Organized in three sections, this book follows Carney's adventures as he tries to survive all the forces acting on him, from crime bosses to his wife's family. Written with a lot of humor and empathy, this is a wonderful book that evokes the culture of Harlem 60 years ago.

La Duchesse: The life of Marie de Vignerot, by Bronwen McShea

 

While much is known about the French clergyman and statesman Cardinal Richelieu, very little is known about his favored niece, Marie de Vignerot, the daughter of Richelieu’s sister Françoise. Always interested in advancing his family’s standing in the French court, Richelieu arranged an advantageous marriage for his niece; however, Marie was widowed and childless after only two years. Retreating to a nunnery, she planned to take religious vows, but was brought back to the French court by Richelieu, who convinced her to leave the religious order behind. Appointed a lady-in-waiting to French King Louis XIII’s mother, Marie de Medici, Marie de Vignerot began to make her mark in French society, eventually becoming highly influential both at court and as a patron of the arts and literature. La Duchesse is a meticulously researched work that reads like a novel. It is exceptionally well-written, bringing all the rich detail of 17^th century France to life. VERDICT This is a fine work that sheds light on the nearly forgotten story of a consequential figure in French history.

This has been published previously in Library Journal here. 

Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a marriage, by Jonny Steinberg

 

South African scholar and award-winning author Steinberg (A Man of Good Hope) presents an engrossing joint biography of Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, his wife of nearly 40 years. Twenty years her senior, Nelson spent much of his time in an early leadership role in the African National Congress and other groups formed to protest against the apartheid regime. That meant time away from Winnie and their young children. In 1962, Nelson was arrested and sentenced to life in prison; he ultimately served 27 years. Throughout his imprisonment, Winnie grew into a national symbol of defiance, fighting apartheid in her own way. This book portrays the relationship between Winnie and Nelson and how it changed over the years of his imprisonment and after his release. It is deeply researched, and sources include recently released archives documenting secret recordings of conversations that Nelson had while in prison. Not only does this book reveal intimate details of a marriage under terrible pressure, but it also provides an insightful history of the fight against apartheid, including the roles of many other key figures. VERDICT This is a superb addition to the history of South Africa and the struggle against apartheid.

This review was previously published in Library Journal 148:5 (2023): 576.

The modern maverick, by Ed Haddon

 

Business coach Haddon provides a useful and insightful guide for readers who want a more meaningful, independent, and autonomous life. The author takes a practical approach to evaluating the reader’s current circumstances, setting goals, and developing plans to reach them. Starting with a discussion of values and definitions of success, the book lays the groundwork for a thoughtful evaluation of one’s life. Nothing is out of bounds as the book tackles work and home life, recreation and family, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and much more. Haddon devotes significant attention to the tendency of many people to place work at the center of their life, which raises questions about a job’s influence on one’s health, family, relationships, and satisfaction with life in general. Every chapter includes exercises that build throughout the book to ultimately become a plan for making changes that will have a real and lasting impact. This book doesn’t break new ground, but it does present a helpful approach to evaluating and improving one’s quality of life. VERDICT Recommended for readers who are looking to make quality-of-life adjustments in their professional and personal lives.

 This review was published previously in Library Journal 148:6 (2023): 288.

A day in the life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem tragedy, by Nathan Thrall

 

This riveting account by Thrall (The Only Language They Understand) tells the story of a bus that sets out on a stormy day in a Palestinian neighborhood in the West Bank to take dozens of kindergartners on a field trip. The bus is rammed by a truck, overturns, and catches fire. In the absence of emergency vehicles or personnel, bystanders pull the children and two adults from the wreckage and take them to area hospitals. The parents of the injured children, including Abed Salama, spend the rest of the day trying to track down their children, several of whom do not survive. The book explores the backstories of many of the people who played a role in the tragedy and shows readers what daily life for many Palestinians is like, including the frustrations inherent in it. Palestinian neighborhoods are walled off and then denied typical municipal and infrastructure support, resulting in poor quality roads, vehicles that are not maintained or regulated, and checkpoints that delay needed emergency services. VERDICT An eye-opening and empathetic analysis of a profoundly personal tragedy. This deeply researched book is insightful as the author reveals the complex issues faced by Palestinians.

This review was published previously by Library Journal 148:9 (2023): 96.

The night parade: a speculative memoir, by Jami Nakamura Lin

 

In this highly innovative memoir, Lin shares her experiences as a person with bipolar disorder as she comes of age, marries, experiences a miscarriage, loses her father to cancer, and becomes a mother. Originally misdiagnosed with depression and anxiety disorder, Lin suffered for years, enduring a suicide attempt and multiple hospitalizations before receiving a correct diagnosis. Using Japanese, Chinese, and Taiwanese folklore to enrich her story, the author (who is a Japanese Taiwanese Okinawan American) delves into her own powerful feelings of rage, despair, loss, and hurt, ultimately emerging from each experience stronger and with more insight into not only herself but also her complex family history. With compelling prose, this title weaves folktales about frightening and monstrous figures into the narratives of Lin's own developing bipolar disorder, her lineage, and her father's illness. Her gorgeous writing draws readers into her gripping story, which is organized into a four-part narrative structure drawn from Japanese literary tradition. The book is richly illustrated by the author's sister, Cori Nakamura Lin. VERDICT An engrossing memoir by an extraordinary debut author.

This review was previously published in Library Journal 148:10 (2023): 130-131.

The devil's alternative, by Frederick Forsyth

 

As I was organizing my fiction in recent weeks I came across this novel by Frederick Forsyth; I've owned it for ages but never got around to reading it. Back in the 80s and 90s I was an avid reader of spy fiction including Forsyth, Ludlum, and Le Carré. Forsyth books that I read back then were The day of the jackal, The fourth protocol, and The Odessa file. Unbeknownst to me, this novel, which was published in 1979 and set in 1982, is about Ukrainian nationalists who want to start an uprising against the Soviet Union by assassinating the head of the KBG. They succeed in their attempt, but their getaway goes wrong and they're arrested and jailed in West Berlin. Their fellow nationalists attempt to free them by hi-jacking an oil carrier and threatening to release a million tons of crude oil into the ocean. Told from many viewpoints, including the terrorists, diplomats, the ship's captain, the story is slow to build but around the halfway point becomes irresistible. It was ironic to be reading a book with this theme during the Russian war against Ukraine, and at the same time, watching Jack Ryan season 3, which also had a Russian theme.

The wench is dead, by Colin Dexter

 

A different approach for Colin Dexter. Inspector Morse is taken to the hospital after suffering a perforated ulcer exacerbated by his heavy drinking. Another patient there is the author of a small book about a 150 year old murder case, and Morse becomes obsessed with proving that they got the wrong men.

The secret of annexe 3, by Colin Dexter

 

Another complicated mystery from the Inspector Morse series by Colin Dexter.

Maya's notebook, by Isabelle Allende

 

I loved this book about a young girl who goes astray after the death of her beloved grandfather. After being required to stay in a rehab facility for years, she leaves and faces six months of harrowing drug use and danger until she is rescued by her grandmother and spirited away to her ancestral home in southern Chile. The writing is superb and the story is remarkable.

The riddle of the third mile, by Colin Dexter

This is another twisty-turny mystery starring Inspector Morse, with a convoluted plot about a body that turns up headless, handless, and legless in a canal, and not one but two missing Oxford dons. And how does this relate to an old war story about three brothers, one of whom doesn't survive the war in North Africa, and the officer who made the call to pull back when they were attacked?
 

Confidence man, by Maggie Haberman

 

I've been a big fan of Maggie Haberman's journalism for years, and have always appreciated her appearances on cable news networks. After devoting years of her life and career to following and reporting on Trump, Haberman has deep insight into Trump's character and career. Although there isn't much new here for anyone who has been following the news over the past eight years, this book is an important record of the history and news of our time.

The summit mindset, by Scott Miller and James C. Moore

Business executive/debut author Miller and documentary filmmaker and Emmy Award winner Moore (General Equilibrium and Welfare Economics) make the case that readers can improve their chances of success in life and business by making changes to their perspectives and thought processes. The authors share how they developed their own strategies, based on positive visualizations and the refusal to be knocked down. The book offers simple tips, including practical and feasible suggestions for setting goals, identifying values, overcoming challenges, and more. Each chapter includes a set of thoughtful exercises that readers can utilize to explore their own goals. Like many other business-success books, this one uses personal anecdotes and tales about successful entrepreneurs and people to make points that bolster the authors’ claims and showcase their approaches. VERDICT A well-written and insightful exploration of strategies that will be useful for readers searching for sound career and life advice.

This review has been published previously in Library Journal 148:8 (2023): 188.
 

Mud, blood, and ghosts: Populism, eugenics, and spiritualism in the American West, by Julie Carr

 

Author and professor of English Julie Carr examines the roots of American populism through the lens of her family history and the forces of home and land ownership, racism, and eugenics. In this deeply researched and compelling narrative, Carr shares the travails of her ancestors as they moved west as homesteaders, gained and lost land and homes, became involved in politics, and influenced the development of trends such as the interest in eugenics and attempts to ensure white racial purity. Accessing archives, including her great-grandfather’s meticulously-kept journals, Carr pieces together the story of her family and ties it to the current growth in populism in today’s politics. Carr weaves into her narrative her own emotional responses to the sometimes shocking facts she was learning about her own family, bringing a personal touch to the story, and thoroughly documenting her sources in the notes and references section. Carr makes clear how high the stakes are, showing how American support for eugenics led to the Nazi adoption of the theory with such devastating results. VERDICT This is an important and moving analysis of the development of the populism movement in the U.S.

A version of this review was published previously in Library Journal here.

The dead of Jericho, by Colin Dexter

This is another confusing and complex murder mystery that can only be solved by Inspector Morse. A woman is found dead of apparent suicide and it turns out Morse had tried to pay her a visit earlier in the day. Embarrassed by his romantic motive for the visit, Morse initially tries to cover it up, but has to come clean as he is assigned to investigate the case and subsequent murders that follow.
 

Service of all the dead, by Colin Dexter

In the fourth Inspector Morse mystery, Morse takes a vacation but only travels so far as a local village where he learns that there was a murder and suicide within just a short period of time. He starts to investigate informally, but then gets asked to continue in an official manner when the lead investigator has to take time off for the flu. Once again, the plot is incredibly confusing and convoluted, but Morse figures out the details in the end, but only after going down a lot of dead end trails. Entertaining but completely implausible!
 

The bandit queens, by Parini Shroff

 

I really enjoyed this humorous first novel by Parini Shroff. Geeta's violent and abusive husband abandoned her five years ago, but the rumor mill in her village has it that she did away with him and she has been looked down upon since that time. In the intervening years, she has joined with a group of women who team up to get micro loans for their respective businesses, and Geeta's jewelry business has been very profitable. Things start to get interesting when one of Geeta's friends asks her for help getting rid of her own husband. Using a lot of humor, Shroff shows the reader how vulnerable women are in a society that doesn't treat them with respect or as equals. This is a page turner that leads up to a hilarious and satisfying conclusion.