Stone Cold Fox -Rachel Koller Croft
Remember the 2001 movie Heartbreakers? The mother-daughter con team? This is that, but updated. Fun, fast, devastating depiction of the NYC UES/Greenwich crowd. Perfect for vaca. 8/10
Shrines of Gaiety- Kate Atkinson
Similar theme- this is a crime family in London after WW I who run a group of nightclubs. If you watched Peaky Blinders you will recognize the setting.
Atkinson is a superb writer and this book showcases her talent. Atmospheric and entertaining. 8/10
I Have Some Questions For You- Rebecca Makkai
This is both a murder mystery and reflection on memory and our past. The narrator returns to her old boarding school. Why was prep school/ high school so painful? Those who appeared to be carefree most likely were not, but reading this made me so happy that I was in the last all-female class at my school.
Readers will relate to her reinterpretation of previous experiences and crime fans will enjoy the plot. 8/10
On The Savage Side- Tiffany McDaniel
This author was raised in Southern Ohio, where I was born. I find her writing to be excrutiatingly honest. This book is no exception and it is not a "easy" read. Inspired by a serial killer in Chillicothe OH, the story of drug abuse, sexual violence, and generational poverty is harsh , but true. The Pike County Massacre of 2016 occurred in the adjacent county.
7/10-too many dream sequences for me, but a haunting tale.
The End of Drum Time- Hanna Pylvainen
Set in 1851 as a Lutheran minister tries to browbeat the Sami reindeer herders of Finland into Christianity. Of course there are disputes, confrontations, brawls, and eventually, murder.
But this book has striking descriptions of the Scandinavian tundra and what it requires to exist there.
A captivating read- 8/10
Whatever Next?Anne Glenconner
A delightful follow-up to Lady in Waiting. Lady Anne is in her 90's and remains vibrant and engaged in life. She still tells a great story and has lead a most fascinating life.
A good companion to this would be
Lord of the Isle: The Extravagant Life and Times of Colin Tennant, the biography of her husband.
I highly recommend Glenconner's books as Audibles.
9/10- truly entertaining and revealing
Warning- Central Places by Delia Cai. This was a total bust.