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Book Review: Friday Night Cocktails: 52 Drinks to Welcome Your Weekend by A.J. Dean

2026-11-06T21:40:00.000-05:00

Friday Night Cocktails: 52 Drinks to Welcome Your Weekend by AJ Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an incredible cocktail book with 52 recipes, arranged by season. It assumes that you will make a different cocktail every Friday night in order to welcome the weekend. Those of you who know me, know that I love an organized system. And if it involves a weekend cocktail, then all the better!

All of these recipes are very approachable and don’t have a lot of new or unusual ingredients like so many of the cocktail books that I’ve read. Some of my favorites from the book are: French 75, Boulevardier, Lemon Drop, and the all-time favorite of Hot Buttered Rum! There’s a beautiful photograph accompanying each recipe. If you are interested in trying some new cocktails, I highly recommend this book!

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Book Review: Homemaking with Babs: Tips and Tricks for Making a House a Home by Barbara "Babs" Costello

2026-11-04T14:06:00.000-05:00

Homemaking with Babs: Tips and Tricks for Making a House a Home by Barbara Costello
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Barbara Costello, better known as “Babs” on social media, has compiled a huge amount of valuable information in a beautiful coffee table book. It includes everything from everyday habits to keep your home tidy, information about how to clean virtually everything, seasonal lists of things to do around the house, and an extensive chapter on home maintenance and repair. She has compiled ‘recipes’ for natural cleaners, including things like baking soda, rubbing alcohol, white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.

Earlier in her career she was a preschool teacher, and all of her organizational skills can be seen in the way that this book is arranged, cross-referenced, and indexed! There are plenty of pictures of her home, her grandchildren, and her husband, “Mr. Babs.” There are take-aways in this book for everyone, at every stage of their lives, and I highly recommend it!

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Book Review: The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot #1)

2026-10-29T12:40:00.000-04:00

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hercule Poirot is summoned to the Styles estate in Essex by his friend and sometimes colleague Hastings. There has been a mysterious death of the family matriarch – a poison was administered in what appeared to be a locked room. And there are plenty of suspects including her two stepsons, her daughter-in-law, a companion, and young nurse who lives at the estate. Thus sets the scene for the first book in Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot series.

I was fascinated by the Agatha Christie mysteries when I was a teenager and read many of them. Many years later I still love mysteries, especially series, but I’m adamant about reading them in order of publication. Therefore, I’m going back to read the three Agatha Christie series in order – Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Tuppence & Tommy. I’m not sure if I ever read this Poirot book, but if I did, I certainly don’t remember any of the details. There are plenty of twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing until the very last chapter.

This book was originally written in 1920. On to the second book in the series – Murder on the Links (1923).

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Book Review: DK Eyewitness Travel Guides Boston

2026-10-27T17:49:00.000-04:00

Dk Eyewitness Travel Guides Boston by Various
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you are familiar with the DK Eyewitness travel books, I’m sure that you’ll agree with me that they are an outstanding travel companion! They do what no other travel book does – there is minimal text and maximum amount of photographs, illustrations, and information snippets. It’s a paperback book with French flaps which has the broad index, and maps are included on the endpapers. It is arranged geographically, with a section at the back for hotels, restaurants, shopping, entertainment and more.

The geographic chapters are where the book really stands out. Each chapter includes a map plus sights at a glance. Then it goes street by street, indicating what is important to see in each locale. They devote four pages to the major sightseeing attractions such as the Boston Museum of Fine Art, including a map of the museum and indications of what is important to see in each section. This is incredibly helpful if you only have limited time to visit the museum.

I would highly recommend any of the DK Travel books. They have been very helpful to us during our travels. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookstore or go online and get one of their travel books for your next trip. You will not be disappointed!

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Book Review: Boston by Fodor's Travel Publications

2026-10-27T17:32:00.000-04:00

Fodor's Boston by Fodor's Travel Publications Inc.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a very comprehensive travel guide designed for the individual(s) visiting Boston. It is crammed with useful information – hotel and restaurant recommendations, sights to see, activities, museum, cultural life, shopping, and much more. There’s a nice introduction giving a history and overview of Boston, along with helpful hints for the traveler trying to plan their trip. Then it’s arranged geographically with lots of maps and information, plus a snapshot of each neighborhood. Each entry gives the phone number, website, approximate pricing, and the subway stop.

We have been relying on the Fodor’s family of travel guides for more than 40 years, and this one did not disappoint! There’s a helpful index in the back that is very extensive. Additional information is always available on the Fodor’s website – https://www.fodors.com. I would highly recommend this and any of the other Fodor’s travel guides. I have the 33rd edition, 2025.

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Book Review: James by Percival Everett

2026-10-18T17:16:00.000-04:00

James by Percival Everett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The slave Jim (featured in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) learns that he is about to be sold and separated from his wife and daughter, so he runs away. About the same time, Huck Finn fakes his death to escape from his drunken and abusive father and also runs away. The two meet up by chance along the Mississippi River and the story details their adventures together, as told by Jim.

I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn prior to reading James, in order to give me some perspective and framework of the original story and characters. Huck Finn was very difficult to read, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading James. Not that it wasn’t difficult to read – the life of a slave in the late 19th century in the South was extremely difficult. However, it was very rewarding to read about Jim, a slave, who could read and write, was a lover of books, and a teacher to the other slaves. It was also heartwarming to see how he interacted with Huck and several of the other key characters in this story. A very strong bond formed between Jim and Huck, in spite of race.

My book club will be discussing this book tomorrow evening, and I anticipate a lively discussion! I would highly recommend this book, would suggest reading Huckleberry Finn (or a synopsis) prior to reading James.

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Book Review: Bobby Flay: Chapter One: Iconic Recipes and Inspirations from a Groundbreaking American Chef: A Cookbook by Bobby Flay

2026-10-12T15:50:00.000-04:00

Bobby Flay: Chapter One: Iconic Recipes and Inspirations from a Groundbreaking American Chef: A Cookbook by Bobby Flay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bobby Flay has created a fantastic coffee table book which includes 100 of his landmark recipes along with essays about his restaurants and his Food Network TV shows. It is beautifully photographed and printed on heavy glossy paper. I’ll admit that I probably will not make any of the recipes in this book due to their complexity. But I loved reading each of them and discovering the backstory of why they were included. They reflect his use of chilies and spice, along with his ability to create depth of flavor in whatever he makes. The recipes that he made on Iron Chef America all have a bit of whimsy and edginess.

Full disclosure, I’ve been a BF fan forever, watching him on Food Network (Iron Chef America, Bobby and Giada in Italy, Beat Bobby Flay, BBQ Brawl, Bobby’s Triple Threat Titans, On The Line and more). I own several of his cookbooks and especially love Sundays with Sophie which includes recipes he cooks for his daughter. Personally, I’m looking forward to his Holiday Throwdown episodes of Beat Bobby Flay, which are returning on November 11, 2026.

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Book Review: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

2026-10-08T17:50:00.000-04:00

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(3 1/2 stars) Set in 1968, Beth lives on a 200-acre farm in Dorset, England with her husband Frank and brother-in-law Jimmy. The story jumps back in time when she was in high school and met Gabriel, a privileged boy living in the local mansion. They fall in love, he breaks her heart, and her plans to read literature at Oxford University are crushed. She ends up marrying Frank and working the farm. Fast forward to the present, they meet again when his dog kills some of the sheep on their farm. The reader can predict what will happen next when she and Gabriel are thrown together again.

In spite of the fact that I read this for my mystery book club, it reads like a family drama and romance novel. The mystery / thriller aspect of the novel really doesn’t appear until about 2/3 of the way through the book. The book jumps around in time, but indicates the time frame at the beginning of the chapter (Before, 1968, etc.). The reader definitely is immersed in each of the character’s lives, along with the bad decisions that they make along the way. Content warnings.

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Book Review: The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World: The Twin Towers, Windows on the World, and the Rebirth of New York by Tom Roston

2026-10-08T12:57:58.325-04:00

The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World: The Twin Towers, Windows on the World, and the Rebirth of New York by Tom Roston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Windows on the World restaurant was on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center North Tower, ¼ mile up with an incredible view of the city. Imagined and built by Joe Baum, a noted NYC restaurateur and showman, it opened in 1976 to rave reviews. One month short of its 25th anniversary, the Twin Towers collapsed on September 11, 2001.

This is the story of the development of this fantastic restaurant, from the back story of Joe Baum to the politics involved in building the World Trade Center and the extravagance of the restaurant. It is an extensively researched book, with the author conducting more than 150 personal interviews. He focuses on various individuals from chefs and wine stewards to dishwashers and line cooks. The reader truly gets a feel for the sense of family and camaraderie that was created by the individuals working there. Quite a few photos are included as well.

CNN and Time Studios have created a 40-minute documentary “Top of the World” about the restaurant, which was released in September 2026. You can view the trailer --
https://deadline.com/2026/08/top-of-t..., and it will be available for viewing on HBO Max starting today (10/8/2026).

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Book Review: Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer

2026-10-04T11:39:00.000-04:00

Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Our main character, “Giovedi”, lives in Washington, D.C., has a new degree in Archives and Records Management, and is looking for a job. He accepts a 4-month position in Tuscany working for a 92 year-old Baroness, Lisabetta also known as Coco, cataloging her art, artifacts and possessions. She is full of wild stories of her life and there are constant visitors to her villa. Giovedi spends more of his time being her assistant than actually cataloging her collection.

The reader is immersed in the Tuscan countryside, the food, the culture, the people and the language. Life there is slow and pleasant. The focus of this book is on the characters and the place itself, rather than the plot. We slowly learn more about Giovedi and Coco, as they slowly learn more about each other. There are some surprises, along with humor and loss. Due to the buzz and hype around this book in the four months since it was published, I was expecting a little more. But who can complain about spending the fall in Tuscany?

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Book Review: The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham (The Academy #2)

2026-09-28T14:40:00.000-04:00

The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

I read The Academy (the first book in this series) in January 2026. Here was my review at that time –

Tiffin Academy is a boarding school in rural Massachusetts, and the novel follows one year in the students' and faculty members' lives. With all the teenage drama, hook-ups, break-ups, slang, and cultural references, I felt that this book is targeting the YA audience rather than Elin Hilderbrand's typical readers. There are quite a few characters to keep track of, and the majority of them (faculty included!) are making bad decisions. Unfortunately, there are too many characters and not enough plot and character development for me.

Fast forward to September 2026, when I read the advanced reader’s copy of Thoroughbreds (the second and final book in this series). To be honest, the same review can be used for this book.

The book once again seems to be a YA book, and I’m definitely not that target audience. There is way too much product placement and name dropping, most of which goes right over my head. There are too many characters to keep track of, both faculty and students. And some of the names are so similar – Rhode, Royce, Roy. Predictably, the ending ties up everything in a neat little bow and everyone is a winner. And a note to the authors – when you are “dismissed” from a boarding school prior to graduating, you DO NOT apply to graduate school as your next step; you must first graduate from an undergraduate program!

I understand why the mother /daughter team wrote this book together. Shelby attended St. George’s boarding school in Rhode Island, and now is a student at the University of Miami, which figures prominently in this storyline. I wanted to give both books in this series a better score because typically I really enjoy Elin Hilderbrand’s writing, but that was just too much of a challenge.

My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advanced reader copy of this upcoming book, pubished September 15, 2026.

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Book Review: Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters by Laura Vanderkam

2026-09-22T16:30:00.000-04:00

Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters by Laura Vanderkam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the past, Laura Vanderkam has written about how to get more things done. In this book, she focuses on how to find time so you can spend it doing what you love. She has developed nine rules and spends a chapter doing a deep dive into each of them:

• Give yourself a bedtime
• Plan on Fridays
• Move by 3 p.m.
• Three times a week is a habit
• Create a back-up slot
• One big adventure / one small adventure
• Take one night for you
• Batch the little things
• Effortful fun before effortless fun

I retired a few years ago and my adult children are not living with us, so I am not the target audience for this book. It targets a busy professional with children, typically very young children and I definitely could have used this book 15 years ago when I was in that situation. That being said, I embraced many of her rules and was able to apply them to my life. Who doesn’t want to feel better rested each morning and even though we don’t want to accept it, the way to accomplish that is to give yourself a bedtime.

Laura wrote this book in 2022 and did the research with the participants in 2021, so the pandemic is very prominent in her writing and the participant responses.

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Book Review: Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili Taylor

2026-09-20T11:32:00.000-04:00

Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(4 ½ stars) Lili Taylor began her interest in birds 15 years ago in Upstate New York and has continued her interest through the years. She is now involved with the National Audubon Society and the New York City Bird Alliance. This book is a collection of 13 short essays, each one on a different bird or a different situation. She discusses a variety of geographic locations: New Mexico, Austin, Texas, Nebraska, Bryant Park in New York City, and the Empire State Building. She also includes several chapters on birding festivals, buying binoculars, and even a bird tattoo contest.

I read this book over a two-month period, while bird watching in my own backyard with two bird feeders (finches and hummingbirds) and setting up a new bird bath. We regularly eat lunch and dinner on our patio, just feet from the feeders and bird bath, so can get an up-close and personal view of all the winged visitors.

Beautiful pencil sketches are included at the beginning of each chapter, but the artist is not acknowledged. I appreciate that she mentions several birding apps and websites, all of which I found quite helpful:
• eBird
• BirdEye
• Merlin Bird ID
• iNaturalist
• David Sibley
• Bird Cast

To be honest, I would have given this book five stars if it wasn’t for the chapter on sparrows (read other Goodreads reviews for content warnings).

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Book Review: Chain Reaction by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Jack Reacher #31)

2026-09-18T15:22:00.000-04:00

Chain Reaction by Lee Child
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

General Susan Turner, formerly of the 110th Military Police Unit is now leading a covert investigative group for the Army. One of her team members was killed and she can’t yet trust the other team members, so she asks Reacher to investigate the murder off-book. This takes him to Colorado, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D.C., tracking down the secrets behind a huge data center, hundreds of solar panels, and AI in a remote location. Reacher and General Turner, along with her deputy commander, Dexter Elwood, make a fine team to track down the ultimate foes and ultimately save the world.

To be honest, this is the first book in the series written by both Lee and Andrew Child that I have liked. It’s quite an action-packed page-turner, and the Reacher that we know and love seems to be back. We get insight into his thought processes, mental math, short, bullet-like sentences, and of course the hand-to-hand combat we are accustomed to. The character of Susan Turner has appeared in two previous books – a small role in 61 hours (#14) and a more prominent role in Never Go Back (#18). All in all, I’m really looking forward to the next Reacher book in the series!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for an advanced reader copy of this book, which is scheduled to be published on October 20, 2026.

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Book Review: The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America by Kostya Kennedy

2026-09-13T15:48:00.000-04:00

The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America by Kostya Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Paul Revere’s famous ride from Boston to Concord, Massachusetts (18 miles) took place on April 18-19, 1775. Half of this book is devoted to Revere’s backstory – his early years, his family, and his occupation of silversmith, engraver, and dentist. It also sets the scene in Boston surrounding the Revolutionary War: the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, etc. The other half of the book is a thrilling re-telling of the actual ride. Revere was a very well-known and reliable Express Rider, so it was obvious that he should be the one selected to spread the news of the impending British invasion.

The last chapter, entitled Echoes, focuses on the Longfellow poem, historical Boston locations, various Paul Revere named items, and other related poems. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem was written 85 years later, just before the Civil War (1860), and is most likely why American schoolchildren are very familiar with Paul Revere’s famous ride. There’s also an interesting chapter detailing Jonathan Singley Copley’s painting of Paul Revere.

Overall, this is an exciting book of narrative non-fiction. It is very well researched, both with original sources and with visits to various sites mentioned in the book. It also includes an extensive bibliography of books, journal articles, websites and documents, along with an index including all the individuals and locations mentioned in the book. The author even met and interviewed Paul Revere III. The map of the various routes taken was extremely helpful to this reader. And I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s retelling of his climb to the top of the Old North Church steeple, 175 feet off the ground!

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Book Review: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1 by Beth Brower (The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion #1)

2026-09-11T15:51:00.000-04:00

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1 by Beth Brower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(4 ½ stars) Set in 1883 London, a young Emma M. Lion has moved into her family’s house in the St. Crispian’s neighborhood. We gradually meet the quirky characters: her spiteful cousin Archibald who banishes Emma to the 5th floor garret, cousin and good friend Arabella, aunt Eugenia Spencer, housekeeper and cook Agnes, and evil Aunt Matilde. Lapis Lazuli is the house previously owned by her father, which he left to Archibald until Emma turns 21 years old. Archibald has taken advantage of the situation and has frittered away the entire fortune, leaving Emma penniless.

Mysteries abound – who exactly is Maxwell, why does Cousin Archibald hate Emma, what is the scandal of the Incident which lead to the Scar, and more!

I raced through this charming book but kept telling myself to slow down so I could savor the descriptions of the time, the place, and Emma’s perspective on the world. She has a perpetually cheerful outlook despite everything, and appreciates the humor in every situation. To be expected, there is a lot of tea drinking in her journal, and she adores books and reading – a woman after my own heart! It’s a very quick read – only 107 pages. I will definitely be reading more of this 8-volume set!

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Book Review: Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie (Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid #13)

2026-09-05T15:07:00.000-04:00

Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gemma Janes is a Scotland Yard detective who is extremely stressed and overworked. She worries about her job family, a sick mother, supporting her friends, all the while trying to plan a wedding. Once again she teams up with her husband, Duncan Kincaid to investigate the murder in the East End of London.

In the end, clues were revealed, and guilty parties were identified and arrest in the last two chapters. I felt it was a little too much of a rushed and tidy ending. I wasn’t fond of the storyline in this book, but what really stood out for me were the detective teams of Gemma James/ Melody Tabot and Duncan Kincaid / Doug Cullen. Each team worked together quite well and I enjoyed reading about their partnerships. And who doesn’t appreciate a map included on the end pages which identifies all the relevant streets and buildings discussed in the book!

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Book Review: Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

2026-08-30T14:46:00.000-04:00

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(3 1/2 stars) Lottie Jones is a 75-year old “retired serial killer” who leads a “quiet life” in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Earlier in her life, she changed her name and moved to escape possible arrest and imprisonment for killing several people. She only kills when she gets very angry and when opportunity presents itself. She stopped killing once she moved, but circumstances changed and she realized that her backstory was about to catch up with her.

This book is humorously narrated in the first person by Lottie and is almost a “how-to” book on murder. Suspend your disbelief when you read about an elderly woman killing a visitor by hitting her over the head with an umbrella. It’s definitely got a cozy feel, but it’s more violent than that. It’s fairly fast-paced but has a lot of different characters to keep track of. I read this for my mystery book club, and virtually everyone in the group loved it.

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Book Review: Slough House by Mick Herron (Slow Horses #7)

2026-08-26T16:36:00.000-04:00

Slough House by Mick Herron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Slow Horses gang is back at it pretty quickly after the finish of book #6 - Joe Country. But it turns out that someone is trying to kill the entire Slow Horse squad. Rodney Ho (Rodster, Rodman, Rodinator, or Dyno-Rod as he refers to himself) is more of a hindrance than a help as usual, but he considers himself the star of the team. Jackson Lamb is even more offensive, if that's possible, but that is certainly part of the humor. Peter Judd and Diana Taverner take on large roles in this book, all focusing on the secret funding of "The Park." The entire cast is back, along with a surprise appearance by a previous Slow Horse.

The upcoming season 6 of Slow Horses on Apple TV + is due to start this month (September 16, 2026) and will be based on books #6 and #7. I'll be interested to see how they combine the storylines, especially since there is no sign of the huge snowstorm in Wales which figured prominently in book #6.

I love reading the books, but also love to see how they translate to the screen. The characters, the humor, the drama are all so enjoyable! I see that they have been renewed for seasons 7 and 8! And you know that I'll keep reading these wonderful books.

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Book Review: The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

2026-08-21T15:55:00.000-04:00

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Artie is a middle-aged high school history teacher. He and his wife Evie seem to be at odds with one another, and he doesn’t see or talk to his grown son Rob nearly as much as he’d like to. He wonders why people make small talk but don’t tend to talk about important subjects and speculates frequently about free will. He realizes that people keep secrets from one another. He is suffering from depression and isolation, and it’s starting to affect his teaching and his relationships with others.

This is a very character-driven novel which takes us through a year in Artie’s life – 2024-2025. The reader gets more than a peak into Artie’s mind and thought processes, interspersing vignettes with his wife, his son, his students, friends and neighbors. And it shows the impact that Artie had on all of them. I absolutely loved the relationship that Artie had with his son, and how it developed throughout the book. This is the first book I’ve read by Elizabeth Strout and it certainly won’t be the last. Content warnings.

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Book Review: Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead (Harlem Trilogy #1)

2026-08-17T16:26:00.000-04:00

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ray Carney is the owner of an up-and-coming furniture store in Harlem, married to Elizabeth, with their second child on the way. His in-laws live on Strivers Row in Harlem where he aspires to live, and his father-in-law is a member of the Dumas Club, a club he would like to join. His life vacillates between running his furniture store and fencing the stolen goods that his cousin and friends bring to him.

Whitehead’s writing gives the reader a true sense of place – the Harlem neighborhood of 125^th Street in 1959-1964 – by including real places such as the Apollo Theater and Morningside Park, and real events such as the riots. There is an overall theme of race, class structure, and how the law can be applied.

I’m anxious to read the second in the series, Crook Manifesto, which covers the 1970’s, and the third and final book in the series, Cool Machine, which covers the 1980’s.

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Book Review: A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #12)

2026-08-12T15:12:00.000-04:00

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Armand Gamache is back in #12 of the Inspector Gamache / Three Pines series. He has come out of retirement and accepted a new position as the Commander of the Surete Academy, the training course for the cadets who will become detectives. He and Reine-Marie are still living in Three Pines, and an ancient map is discovered in the walls of the Bistro.

Working at the Academy, Gamache is dealing with former best friends, foes, and enemies, along with all of the cadets. He meets regularly with two third year cadets and two first year cadets, giving them advice and assignments to help them develop their detective skills. He encounters murder, corruption, and deceit within the Academy, and discovers the importance of the newly uncovered map.

Many of the characters that we know and love from previous books make appearances: Clara, Myrna, Ruth, Olivier, and Gabri in Three Pines, and Jean-Guy, Isabelle, and Michel Brébeuf in the Surete du Quebec. It is character-driven rather than action packed, but it is still quite a page-turner. It would have been even better if a drawing of the map was included in the book. I kept imaging what it looked like with all the important Three Pines sketches.

Do yourself a favor and start reading Louise Penny’s books at the beginning, and you will be immersed in these wonderful characters and better understand the series. I’m looking forward to reading #13!

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Book Review: London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe

2026-08-10T14:54:00.000-04:00

London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

(4 ½ stars) Zac Brettler is a 19-year-old living in London, and in 2019 he plunged to his death off a luxury high rise apartment into the Thames River below. His family was shocked by his suicide, but even more surprised when they discovered that he was leading a secret double life. He claimed to be Zac Ismailov whose father was a Russian oligarch worth billions. He became friends and was doing business with various wheelers and dealers in the London business scene, a world financial hub.

Zac’s parents questioned whether it was suicide or murder, potentially caused by the gangsters and criminal underworld of London that he was associating with. Despite his parents pressuring Scotland Yard to investigate their son’s death, nothing seemed to be getting done. At times Scotland Yard seemed like the Keystone Cops.

Once again Patrick Radden Keefe has written a fascinating narrative non-fiction account of Zac’s actions and his parents’ attempt to uncover the truth. He is at the top of his game with incredibly well-research investigative reporting. This book was a tense account of Zac’s downfall, along with his parents’ repeated attempts to make those guilty accountable for their actions. I was immediately drawn into this family tragedy which told the emotional story of Zac’s death and its impact on his parents and older brother. It’s a tough book to read, but incredibly compelling.

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Book Review: Around the Table: Tables and Traditions for Gathering by Shea McGee

2026-08-04T16:51:00.000-04:00

Around the Table: Tables and Traditions for Gathering by Shea McGee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an absolutely beautifully photographed book of menus and tablescapes, arranged by season and holiday. The recipes are included for each of the dinners and celebrations. They all look so elegant but what really stood out for me was the innovative combination of ingredients and the use of what I probably already have in my kitchen, freezer or pantry. No need to scout out and buy obscure items that I will never use again. With just a few exceptions, the recipes and instructions don't take an inordinate amount of time and many can be made ahead of time.

This book is an inspiration for those wanting to entertain more - whether it's complex holiday meals or just a simple pizza party or burger slider gathering in the back yard. Shea McGee is such a wonderful hostess -- please invite me to your next dinner party of any occasion!

I first heard Shea interviewed on Katie Lee Biegel's podcast All On The Table a couple of months ago -
https://overcast.fm/+ABJ62W71YsE

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

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Book Review: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

2026-08-01T12:08:00.000-04:00

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Set in the Pacific Northwest and Puget Sound, Tova is a 70-something woman who works the night shift at the local aquarium. One of the famous aquarium exhibits is Marcellus, a giant aging octopus with whom Tova develops a friendship. Cameron is an immature 30-year old who recently relocated to the same small town searching for his long-lost father as well as meaning for his life.

The story unfolds from three different points of view – Tova, Cameron and Marcellus. Tova and Cameron find each other and slowly realize their connection with help from Marcellus.

It’s always a delight when I discover a five star book after reading too many three star fair to middling books recently. Bonus points because it’s a debut novel!

Suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself in the lives of Tova, Cameron and Marcellus the octopus, along with the other quirky characters in Sowell Bay. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but you certainly won’t regret it! Such a unique magical realism five star read!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

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