A JOURNEY THROUGH THE SWIRLING RIVERS OF LIFE — A REVIEW

 

 

When Neil Kazenzakis and his wife Wendy are on a trip with their son Chris, the unthinkable happens.

Neil is listening to a speaker at a conference, while his wife and son are enjoying the pool in the hotel. A helicopter medi-vac hovers overhead, and soon someone is airlifted away. In the next few moments, Neil is summoned and learns that his wife was involved in a near-drowning.

When the story picks up a few years later, we see the aftermath of Neil’s life: his son is ready to finish high school and is planning for college; and his wife is in a vegetative state in a long term facility.

The story is narrated in Neil’s first person voice, and we learn through flashbacks and memories about his journey forward, replete with all the pain of the loss and the continual reminders of what was and what will never be.

Living in Port Manitou, Michigan, on the farmland owned jointly with Wendy’s widowed mother Carol Olsson, Neil has fashioned a kind of normalcy for himself and son Christopher. He teaches science at the local high school and coaches the girls’ track team. He has started a relationship with Lauren, the hospice nurse who works with Carol. But the two of them are keeping their relationship a secret until just the right time for Neil to tell his son.

But unfortunately, life doesn’t hold back its punches for just the right moment, and soon Neil is engulfed in a horrifying scandal regarding an event at his school…and he could lose everything he loves. Again.

The Banks of Certain Rivers is a captivating story that leads the reader through all of the swirling rivers of life that can engulf a person, much like the dangers of the river that flows through the property. Will Neil manage to work his way through the allegations against him? Will his relationship with Lauren and with his son survive the onslaught that descends upon them?

Finding out kept me rapidly turning pages until the satisfying conclusion. I loved the characters and the author’s ability to engage me and draw me right into the midst of the emotional morass that swirled about them all until the very end. Five stars.

WEAVING A COMPLEX TAPESTRY OF FAMILY LIFE — A REVIEW

In the opening scenes of The Tin Horse: A Novel, we meet Elaine Greenstein, sorting through boxes that hold the memorabilia of her life and the lives of her parents.

Elaine has had a rich and full life as an attorney, and the causes she took on have made her something of a celebrity in her ranks. A young man named Josh, an archivist, is helping her decide which of her mementos to donate to USC . Because Elaine is finally leaving her home in Santa Monica for Rancho Manana, a retirement home that she has dubbed the Ranch of No Tomorrow.

Elaine’s wry sense of humor comes through as she tells the story in her first person narrative. A story that sweeps across the miles and the years to the homes where her ancestors lived, in the Europe of the Nazi years. Starting over in the Jewish communities of America would be like a fulfillment of their dreams. But what happened to each of them, including the struggles, the bigotry, and the reversals, would inform their lives forever.

Moving back and forth with the story, we are sometimes in the present as Elaine moves and settles into her new life. And then we move backward, watching as the answers begin to unfold. We learn many of the secrets, fears, dreams, and longings of the first and second generations of the Greenstein family. And when the secrets are revealed, we see the betrayals beneath them.

What has created the special link between Mama and Barbara? What is the significance of the tin horse? And how will Barbara’s impulsive behavior lead to something she does right after their high school graduation? How will her actions leave a hole in Elaine’s heart, and change the choices she makes from then on?

What will Elaine discover in the boxes that ultimately provides answers about her sister, and how will she finally discover what happened to her?

Richly layered with history, emotion, and the complex tapestry of family life, this is a story with true-to-life characters and settings that fully engaged me. Five stars.

WHEN THE PAST COMES BACK TO BITE YOU — A REVIEW

In the beautiful setting of Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Blast from the Past: A Mac Faraday Mystery revisits some of my favorite characters: Mac Faraday, Archie Monday, David O’Callaghan, and, of course, Gnarly, the beloved dog that acts as a helper to the police on many occasions.

The story opens at a time twelve years before, when a young woman named Kendra Douglas hears strange noises coming from the library stacks at the University of Maryland. Within minutes, as she leaves for the night, she witnesses a murder.

Flash forward to discover that Archie Monday is experiencing a “blast from the past,” and she is revealed as Kendra Douglas, whose identity and appearance were changed when she was brought into the Witness Protection Program.

The mobster she witnessed murdering the victim has discovered her location. And all hell is breaking loose in the beautiful, wealthy Deep Creek Lake setting.

In the usual fashion that drives any great mystery, we meet numerous characters that figure into the plot in some way, and then there are the characters we are suspicious about, but cannot quite connect to the story until the very end. How does a murder in a Bed and Breakfast connect to any of the other murders in the area? Who is the mysterious bicyclist seen at the scene and then never seen again…until another night when murder and mayhem are happening? And what sneaky dealings is another participant in the Witness Protection Program up to, and how will Archie discover her secrets?

Great characters, fascinating and revealing dialogue, and the kind of pacing that always keeps me reading quickly led to a very satisfying story with a great conclusion. Of course I can’t wait for the next mystery in this series! Five stars.

THE POLITICS OF INHERITANCE: TREACHERY, BETRAYAL, & UNCERTAINTY — A REVIEW

 

As head of the vast empire of Deravenels, Edward is in a very powerful position. But the politics of inheritance involves a lot of treachery. And sometimes the treachery comes from within the family.

Constantly watching his back, Edward is also torn between his wife Elizabeth and his mistress Jane. In their world, mistresses are quite common. The fact that Edward only has one mistress is something he is quite proud of.

An heir is always uppermost in his mind as the outside forces of influenza, tragic accidents, and uncertainties threaten to leave him without one. Fortunately, in the early twentieth century, Edward has changed the rules of inheritance for his company by allowing a woman to also be named heir. This important detail will determine the future of his company, since he has many daughters. Protecting his sons is still important, but not as crucial as it once was.

One of my favorite things about this author’s books is her ability to show the reader the lush world of privilege through her descriptions that lead the reader right into the gorgeous rooms. And her characters have many privileges, including city homes and country homes. She also shows us the innermost thoughts and dreams of each of them, adding to our investment in their lives.

What I did not enjoy about The Heir was the rather snail’s pace of the first part of the book. In the first almost 400 pages, the period 1918-1928 was in the spotlight. Then the author took us quickly to 1970, leaping over more than forty years and featuring the grandson of Edward Deravenel and his quest for an heir. By the time he made his appearance, I was still caught up in the treachery of the early twentieth century. Taking such a quick pace at the end of the book left the reader without enough time to really know and care about the character Harry Turner. However, I enjoyed many portions of the book, and recommend it for fans of Barbara Taylor Bradford. Three stars.

A JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTICAL PAST — A REVIEW

When Raisin Radcliffe leaves London for a small village in France, she is trying to find a way to deal with her relationship woes and the secrets of her past.

When Geoffrey, her brother, joins her, the two set off to explore the surrounding area, including the tunnels that seemingly hold a mystical meaning. Along the way, they also share some memories of their shared childhood.

As they attempt to reconnect, they are unexpectedly drawn into other events in the village. Protestors who have formed a cult-like organization have their own agenda with regard to the tunnels, and in the process, kidnap a young boy. Raisin and Geoffrey immediately become involved in the search.

What dangers will they and other villagers face as they try to find the child and expose the insidious plans of the cult? How does a shepherd named Henri add to their knowledge? What does the “shepherd’s prayer” mean? And how do the wolves figure into the dangerous ceremony planned by the cult members?

The story was fairly fast-paced, although the mid-section bogged down, with a lot of detail that did nothing to advance the story for me. As much as I wanted to see everyone safely back home and for the cult members to pay for their actions, I didn’t like Raisin or Geoffrey very much. To me, they seemed like adolescents rather than adults. The best parts of the story were those dealing with finding the young boy. Shepherd’s Prayer earned three stars from me.

MURDER IN WEST VIRGINIA — A REVIEW

For most of Zero Day, the story moves at a fast clip, taking the reader right into the midst of a mystery set in a small West Virginia coal mining town.

Four people murdered in their homes sets the scene, and shortly thereafter, we meet Special Agent John Puller, a military man sent in to solve the murders, in cooperation with local detective Sam Cole (Samantha).

Before the two are barely immersed in the crime scene, three more dead bodies show up, one in the basement and two across the street.

Motivated by the horrific crimes, Puller and Cole dig in, finding clues as they go, but as with most murders, there are no readily apparent suspects or motives.

What does an old concrete bunker have to do with what is happening? How does a motorcycle club figure in to it all? And what, if anything, does the richest man in town know about what is happening?

I enjoyed the interaction and mounting attraction between Puller and Cole, but even as they seemingly grew closer to solving the case, obstacles appeared from the most unlikely sources, including extra layers of bureaucracy. Who can our hero and heroine trust and what drastic measures must they take?

The story sagged for me at times and I even felt bored by the minutiae that cropped up at every turn. Therefore…3.5 stars for me.

SISTERS, SECRETS, & THE UPS & DOWNS OF LIFE — BOOK REVIEW

Two sisters, Lizbet and Cassie, alternately tell this story using the first person narrative voice. As I slowly came to know them and their backstory, I found A Tale of Two Sisters captivating enough to continue.

However, at times, I would lose my way, as the story wended its way back and forth; occasionally, I had difficulty identifying who the narrator was at any given point. Sometimes chapters would identify the name of the narrator.

Despite those issues, however, I did come to enjoy the ups and downs of the sisters and their relationships with each other and with the men in their lives. The men were fairly loathsome, in my opinion, especially Cassie’s husband. I did like the fact that he got his comeuppance at one point, and then started to improve his behavior.

A long untold secret about Cassie is divulged (to Cassie and the reader) fairly early, but Lizbet is in the dark for most of the book.

The ending was puzzling, because, in the space of a couple of paragraphs, the reader is catapulted forward in time to “the future” (about three years ahead), and then is pushed backwards for a more slow reveal. I felt unsettled.

Overall, I would recommend the story to those who enjoy Maxted, and for anyone who just loves books about women and their relationships. For me, though, it earned three stars.

DECLUTTERING THE OBJECTS & SECRETS OF THE PAST — A REVIEW

When Lucy Bloom, personal organizer, sells her home and most of her possessions to afford her son Ash’s drug rehab, she needs a job that will bring in enough to finance her new life.

Her new job turns out to be the most challenging one she’s had: oversee the decluttering of a “hoarder” artist’s home, and do it discreetly. The downside is she has a very limited time to accomplish the task, but if she does, she’ll receive a huge bonus.

It sounds fairly straightforward, but soon Lucy discovers that her client, Marva Meier Rios, seemingly cannot let go of anything and fights her all along the way.

In the process of completing this task, what will Lucy uncover amidst the detritus of Marva’s life? What secrets from the past are informing the present? And how will Lucy finally get through to her addicted son who seems unwilling to stay in rehab?

In answering these questions and in exploring a defunct relationship that she may have ended prematurely, Lucy must discover that “there are those things you keep, things you let go of—and it’s often not easy to know the difference.”

A richly engaging story that delves into the heart of human relationships, both to other people and to the objects they possess, Objects of My Affection: A Novel was a five-star read for me.

CONVERGING LIVES ON A COLLISION COURSE — A REVIEW

Family connections, secrets, and the love of place are the primary themes of Lisa Unger’s Heartbroken: A Novel. And intriguingly, Heart Island, the Heart family’s summer home, is the place where they vacation every summer.

For Birdie Heart Burke, however, the island is so much more than a vacation home. She would stay there all year long if she could. At 70+, Birdie has many wonderful memories of childhood times here…and she also ponders the bitter rivalries in her life that insert themselves into those memories.

Birdie’s husband Joe doesn’t care for the island, nor do he and Birdie have much to link them any longer.

We open to Birdie’s thoughts and feelings, and then move along to other characters, such as Birdie and Joe’s daughter Kate. Mother to Chelsea and Brendan, Kate has made many poor choices, including her first marriage. But finally she is in a good place with husband Sean…and the secret she holds close to her heart. A secret she plans to share when they go to Heart Island.

On another side of town, and in a parallel existence, Emily struggles. She has always had the feeling of loss for something she cannot quite define, and her quest for love and acceptance leads to tangled love relationships: especially her current connection to Dean, who veers between caring and loving and harsh emotional abuse. Like the lab animal reinforced intermittently, however, she keeps hanging on, waiting for the loving part.

These three very different women will find themselves on a collision course within a short time.

Without giving away too many hints about the storyline, which comes together subtly, I must say that parts of it moved slowly, unlike Unger’s other fast-paced suspense tales; however, the richly layered characters kept me interested. Then at the end, events sped up and I felt as though I was in an Unger story at last.

Yet after the denouement, the story continued for a bit, showing the reader “aftereffects” that leveled me out a bit after the previous intensity. An unusual yet emotionally satisfying story: four stars.

THE TRUTH SETS THEM FREE — A REVIEW

After Nora MacKenzie’s husband Mike’s suicide, and the overwhelming debts threaten to turn her world upside down, she escapes to the Vermont sheep farm—the one holding she has managed to salvage—and the promise of a new future.

A mysterious man has taken up residence at the farm as a hired hand. And “C.W.” somehow manages to gain her trust over the months that follow, despite her initial resistance, as he teaches her how to run the farm and learn how to navigate this new life.

Back in New York, the attorneys that are in charge of the MacKenzie estate arrange the upcoming auction that will either bring in enough to clear her debts…or not.

Meanwhile, what effect will the secrets C. W. is keeping from Nora have on her plight, and will these doom their budding relationship? Will the trust she has placed in him be her undoing?

The long journey toward love, hope, and a new life can lead to joy or it can turn into another disappointment.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Nora and C. W., and kept turning the pages as the characters made one choice after another that could have turned out well or badly. The characters were very real and likable, and there was that hint of mystery that kept the story from being just a romance. Themes of right vs. wrong, peace vs. chaos filled the pages and created a tale that will hold the interest of anyone who loves these kinds of issues.

Four stars. Some parts of the story, like the detailed descriptions of farming and financial maneuvering, were a little tedious, but not enough to spoil my enjoyment of The Long Road Home.