Kate’s 2¢: “The Bookseller’s Secret” by Michelle Gable

“The Bookseller’s Secret” by Michelle Gable

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I agree with what the bookseller did. It forced the researcher/writer, who is obsessed with Nancy, to find her own voice.

Michelle Gable is an American author based in San Diego. She has published two novels, A Paris Apartment in 2014 and I’ll See You in Paris in 2016, the former of which has appeared on The New York Times Best Seller List. See more

   Gable grew up in Del Mar, California, a beach city near San Diego. She developed an early interest in writing when her parents gave her a book entitled, Someday You’ll Write. She attended Torrey Pines High School.

From NLS/BARD/LOCC:

The bookseller’s secret: a novel DB112477

Gable, Michelle. Reading time: 10 hours, 31 minutes.

Read by Eleanor Caudill.

Historical Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

“In 1942, London, Nancy Mitford is worried about more than air raids and German spies. Still recovering from a devastating loss, the once sparkling Bright Young Thing is estranged from her husband, her allowance has been cut, and she’s given up her writing career. On top of this, her five beautiful but infamous sisters continue making headlines with their controversial politics. Eager for distraction and desperate for income, Nancy jumps at the chance to manage the Heywood Hill bookshop while the owner is away at war. Between the shop’s brisk business and the literary salons she hosts for her eccentric friends, Nancy’s life seems on the upswing. But when a mysterious French officer insists that she has a story to tell, Nancy must decide if picking up the pen again and revealing all is worth the price she might be forced to pay. Eighty years later, Heywood Hill is abuzz with the hunt for a lost wartime manuscript written by Nancy Mitford. For one woman desperately in need of a change, the search will reveal not only a new side to Nancy, but an even more surprising link between the past and present….” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Downloaded: May 30, 2023

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Kate’s 2¢: “Swing, Swing Together” by Peter Lovesey

“Swing, Swing Together” by Peter Lovesey

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Excellent narrative arc. Although murder is no laughing matter, the author’s droll sense of British humor is brought to life by David Thorpe’s reading of this story.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peter (Harmer) Lovesey (born 1936), also known by his pen name Peter Lear, is a British writer of historical and contemporary detective novels and short stories. His best-known series characters are Sergeant Cribb, a Victorian-era police detective based in London, and Peter Diamond, a modern-day police detective in Bath.

Early life[edit]

Lovesey was born in Middlesex, England, and attended Hampton Grammar School.[1] He went to Reading University in 1955 but since he did not have the requisite Latin qualification, he chose a degree in Fine Art which included History and English as elective subjects.[1] Two of his English tutors, John Wain (1925–94) and Frank Kermode (1919–2010), thought well enough of Lovesey’s essays to get him into the English course after all.[1]

He graduated from Reading with an honours degree in 1958; he then did three years of National Service in the Royal Air Force. Signing up for the third year – National Service was ordinarily for two years – enabled him to train, and obtain better pay, as an Education Officer. When he left the Air Force it also gave him an edge in starting his teaching career. He married Jacqueline (Jax) Lewis, whom he had met at Reading, in 1959.[1]

Teaching and writing career[edit]

Lovesey’s career in education lasted fourteen years. He started as a Lecturer in English at Thurrock Technical College in Essex, 1961; he then became Head of the General Education Department at London’s Hammersmith College for Further Education (now West London College). He quit teaching to become a full-time writer in 1975.[1]

Lovesey has written that he entered into writing detective fiction by way of his interest in British sports history. His first detective novel, Wobble to Death (1970), was set within a historically accurate depiction of a 19th century foot race.[2] Lovesey has also authored non-fiction works on the history of British athletics. His first novel was followed by seven others in the Sergeant Cribb series set in Victorian England with the stories often placed in sport or entertainment events such as boxing, rowing, and music hall. After the Cribb series concluded, Lovesey continued with standalone and series mysteries, mostly set in various historical periods. From 1991, he switched to contemporary crime fiction with the Peter Diamond series set in modern-day Bath and consisting of twenty titles as of 2022.

Peter Lovesey lives near Chichester. His son Phil Lovesey also writes crime novels. His son was born in 1963 and worked as an English teacher at Wolverhampton Grammar School until the end of the autumn 2012.[3] His daughter, Kathy Lovesey, was born in 1960, and now lives with her family in Greenwich, Connecticut.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Swing, swing together DB113525

Lovesey, Peter. Reading time: 7 hours, 21 minutes.

Read by David Thorpe.

Historical Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

“The seventh Sergeant Cribb Investigation set in the seedy underbelly of Victorian London. London, 1889: An elementary school teacher in training takes a midnight swim in the Thames and witnesses a body being dumped. Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackerey investigate and uncover strange parallels with the enormously popular Victorian mystery Three Men in a Boat.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Downloaded: June 5, 2023

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Kate’s 2¢: “The Measure: by Nikki Erlick; Julia Whelan

“The Measure: by Nikki Erlick; Julia Whelan

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Of course, the question of where the boxes came/come from, is never answered. The choice is whether or not to open your personal box (or your partner’s box) and then, what do you do with the knowledge of when you’re going to die, or do nothing.

   A very interesting study of human nature and what people do during their birth date and death date.

   I enjoyed this book and, I’ve often said, it’s what you do during that dash between birth and death that is important.

From her web:

My debut novel, The Measure, was an Instant New York Times Bestseller upon publication in June 2022, with translations forthcoming in 20 languages. The Measure was selected as Jenna Bush Hager and The TODAY Show’s #ReadWithJenna Book Club pick as well as the Barnes & Noble Discover Pick.

My work has also appeared online with New York Magazine, Newsweek, The Huffington Post, Literary Hub, Indagare Travel, BookTrib, and Vox Media.

As a travel writer, I explored nearly a dozen countries on assignment—from rural villages in France to the arctic fjords of Norway. As a ghostwriter, I’ve written for CEOs, entrepreneurs, and academics.

I graduated Harvard University summa cum laude and was an editor of The Harvard Crimson. I earned my master’s degree in Global Thought from Columbia University.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The measure: a novel DB109475

Erlick, Nikki; Whelan, Julia Reading time: 11 hours, 2 minutes.

Julia Whelan

Friendship Fiction

Science Fiction

Family

Fantasy Fiction

Bestsellers

Psychological Fiction

“Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice. It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out. But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live. From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise? As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge? |The Measure| charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

Download The measure: a novel DB109475

Kate’s 2¢: “The Colony” by Audrey Magee

“The Colony” by Audrey Magee

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I think Mr. Lloyd is a really crappy piece of mankind. He did a terrible thing to James. Masson isn’t any better with his duplicity and sexual escapades. It’s unfortunate that life on the island is so rough  for the three women, but moving to Ireland might be the death of them. They’re better off where they are.

   Stephen Hogan did a good job of reading this novel.

Audrey Magee is an Irish novelist and journalist. Her debut novel, The Undertaking, was nominated for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2014. Her novel The Colony was longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize.

   Born in Ireland, Magee studied German and French at University College Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University. For 12 years, she worked as a journalist, writing for publications such as The Times, The Irish Times The Irish Times, The Observer, and The Guardian.[6]

In 2014, Magee published The Undertaking, her debut novel.[4] It was published by Atlantic Books.[7] The novel is set in World War II-era Germany and “tells the story of Peter Faber, a German soldier fighting on the Eastern front, who marries Katharina Spinell, a woman he has never met, in order to escape the horrors of the battlefield for a few days.”[7]

She wrote The Undertaking with the goal of trying to understand “what it was like to have been an ordinary German during the Second World War.”[3] Magee took a “long time” to write the novel, as she “struggled with the novel’s cruelty and indifference.”[3] To cope, she took walks and drank tea.[3] A review of the novel in The New York Times said: “To write a story that doesn’t allow for much sympathy, that keeps readers at a remove from the central characters, is one of the greatest challenges an author can undertake. That Magee succeeds as well as she does is impressive.”[4]

   Magee lives in Wicklow with her husband and three daughters.[8]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The colony DB109794

Magee, Audrey. Reading time: 8 hours, 13 minutes.

Read by Stephen Hogan.

Historical Fiction

“It is the summer of 1979. An English painter travels to a small island off the west coast of Ireland. Mr. Lloyd takes the last leg by curragh, though boats with engines are available and he doesn’t much like the sea. He wants the authentic experience, to be changed by this place, to let its quiet and light fill him, give him room to create. He doesn’t know that a Frenchman follows close behind. Masson has visited the island for many years, studying their language. He is fiercely protective of their isolation; it is essential to exploring his theories of language preservation and identity. But the people who live on this rock—three miles long and half a mile wide—have their own views on what is being recorded, what is being taken, and what ought to be given in return. Over the summer, each of them—from great-grandmother Bean Uí Fhloinn to widowed Mairéad and fifteen-year-old James, who is determined to avoid the life of a fisherman—will wrestle with their own values and desires. Meanwhile, all over Ireland, violence is erupting. And there is blame enough to go around. An expertly woven portrait of character and place, a stirring investigation into yearning to find one’s own way, and an unflinchingly political critique of the long, seething cost of imperialism, |The Colony| is a novel that transports, that celebrates beauty and connection, and that reckons with the inevitable ruptures of independence.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Downloaded: May 30, 2023

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Kate’s 2¢: Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

“Behind Her Eyes” by Sarah Pinborough

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Oh! Dear! Gussie!  You’ll have to read this one to “believe it”.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pen name: Sarah Silverwood

www.sarahpinborough.com

Sarah Pinborough is an English author who has written YA and adult thriller, fantasy and cross-genre novels. She has also been a screenwriter in adaptations of her novels for TV as well as in original projects.   She has had more than 20 novels published by several companies and in several countries. They have also been translated into a number of languages.

From BookShare:Synopsis

Why is everyone talking about the ending of Sarah Pinborough’s Behind Her Eyes?Louise is a single mom, a secretary, stuck in a modern-day rut. On a rare night out, she meets a man in a bar and sparks fly. Though he leaves after they kiss, she’s thrilled she finally connected with someone.When Louise arrives at work on Monday, she meets her new boss, David. The man from the bar. The very married man from the bar…who says the kiss was a terrible mistake, but who still can’t keep his eyes off Louise.And then Louise bumps into Adele, who’s new to town and in need of a friend. But she also just happens to be married to David. And if you think you know where this story is going, think again, because Behind Her Eyes is like no other book you’ve read before.David and Adele look like the picture-perfect husband and wife. But then why is David so controlling? And why is Adele so scared of him?As Louise is drawn into David and Adele’s orbit, she uncovers more puzzling questions than answers. The only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is very, very wrong. But Louise can’t guess how wrong—and how far a person might go to protect their marriage’s secrets.In Behind Her Eyes, Sarah Pinborough has written a novel that takes the modern day love triangle and not only turns it on its head, but completely reinvents it in a way that will leave readers reeling.

Copyright:

2017

Kate’s 2¢: “We Know You Remember: High Coast series book 1” by Tove Alsterdal; Alice Menzies

“We Know You Remember: High Coast series book 1” by Tove Alsterdal; Alice Menzies

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   It’s too bad the bravado and pride of a teenager didn’t let him admit the truth.  When the policewoman uncovered the truth, her not exonerating the boy, was a miscarriage of justice.

   Hillary Huber did a good job of narrating this translated story.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tove Alsterdal (born 28 December 1960) is a Swedish journalist, playwright, screenwriter and crime fiction writer. Her awards include the Best Swedish Crime Novel Award and the Glass Key award.

Career[edit]

Alsterdal graduated as journalist from Kalix Folkhögskola [sv] in 1985. She has worked as journalist, playwright and screenwriter, and has been editor of several of Liza Marklund’s books. She wrote the script for Helena Bergström’s film Så olika [sv] from 2009, and the libretto for Fredrik Högberg’s opera Woman of Cain.[1]

She made her crime novel debut in 2009, with Kvinnorna på stranden.[1] Her novel Låt mig ta din hand was awarded the Best Swedish Crime Novel Award in 2014.[2] Her novel Rotvälta was awarded the Best Swedish Crime Novel Award in 2020,[3] and the Glass Key award in 2021.[4]

Personal life[edit]

Born on 28 December 1960 in Malmö, Alsterdal grew up in Stockholm and Umeå.[1] She is a daughter of Alvar Alsterdal [sv] and Elsa Bolin [sv].[5]

   Alice Menzies holds a master of arts in Translation Theory and Practice from University College London, specializing in the Scandinavian languages. She has translated books by Fredrik Bachman and Katarina Bivald, among others. She lives in London.  

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

We know you remember: High Coast series, book 1 DB109584

Alsterdal, Tove; Menzies, Alice. Reading time: 11 hours, 53 minutes.

Read by Hillary Huber.

Suspense Fiction

Mystery and Detective Stories

Psychological Fiction

“A missing girl, a hidden body, a decades-long cover-up, and old sins cast in new light: the classic procedural meets Scandinavian atmosphere in this rich, character-driven mystery, awarded Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year, that heralds the American debut of a supremely skilled international writer. It’s been more than twenty years since Olof Hagström left home. Returning to his family’s house, he knows instantly that something is amiss. The front door key, hidden under a familiar stone, is still there. Inside, there’s a panicked dog, a terrible stench, water pooling on the floor: the father Olaf has not seen or spoken to in decades is dead in the bathroom shower. For police detective Eira Sjödin, the investigation of this suspicious death resurrects long-forgotten nightmares. She was only nine when Olof Hagström, then fourteen, was found guilty of raping and murdering a local girl. The case left a mark on the town’s collective memory—a wound that never quite healed—and tinged E

Downloaded: April 25, 2023

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Kate’s 2¢: “Refuge: A Novel” by Dot Jackson

“Refuge: A Novel” by Dot Jackson

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I really enjoyed this moving story of how one woman re-connected with her father’s people in a rural, saw mill town.  Jackson’s characters were unique, engaging, and real. The descriptions of the mountains, weather, natural flora and fauna  really came alive.   I can appreciate the touch of mysticism with the description of the bees sounding like women softly singing and the way whole folk lyrics came to her in the woods and swamp. I even liked the ending, though a bit disturbing.

   Elizabeth Wiley did a good job of narrating “Refuge”.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/175955Actions for this site

WebBorn Miami, FL, The United States edit data Dot Jackson was born to Appalachian parents in Miami, where she later gave up her college studies of music and dance to become a writer.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Refuge: a novel DB112418

Jackson, Dot. Reading time: 14 hours, 6 minutes.

Read by Elizabeth Wiley.

Historical Fiction

“Early one morning in 1929, Mary Seneca Steele spontaneously packs a suitcase, gathers up her son and daughter, and drives away in her abusive and dissolute husband’s brand-new Auburn Phaeton automobile leaving her privileged life in Charleston behind. It is the beginning of a journey of enlightenment that leads Mary “Sen” to the mountains and mysteries of Appalachia where she will learn unexpected family secrets, create a new life for herself and her children, and finally experience love and happiness before tragedy will once again test her. Written by a Pulitzer Prize–nominated author, Dot Jackson has spun a story that will captivate readers looking for an entertaining saga of self-discovery, family, love, loss, and redemption.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Downloaded: May 30, 2023

Kate’s 2¢: “The Club” by Ellery Lloyd

“The Club” by Ellery Lloyd

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   Wow! There I was, enjoying the amenities of a luxurious spa. It appeared to run like  a well oil machine…until it didn’t and the stuff hit the fan.

   The various under-lying threads came apart causing murder, blackmail,  and mayhem all over the resort. There were numerous subplots that came to the fore and made for an exciting ending…of several people. There was even the suspense of one more disaster pending, but we’re not privy to that one, except in our imaginations.

From the WEB:

Ellery Lloyd is the pseudonym for London-based husband-and-wife writing team Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos.

Collette Lyons is a journalist and editor, the former content director of Elle (UK) and editorial director at Soho House. She has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and the Sunday Times. 

Paul Vlitos is the author of two previous novels, Welcome to the Working Week and Every Day is Like Sunday. He is the program director for English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of Surrey.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The club: a novel DB108284

Lloyd, Ellery Reading time: 9 hours, 26 minutes.

Tamaryn Payne

Suspense Fiction

Bestsellers

“From the author of People Like Her comes a smart and sinister murder mystery set in the secretive world of exclusive celebrity clubs. Everyone’s Dying to Join . . . The Home Group is a glamorous collection of celebrity members’ clubs dotted across the globe, where the rich and famous can party hard and then crash out in its five-star suites, far from the prying eyes of fans and the media. The most spectacular of all is Island Home–a closely-guarded, ultraluxurious resort, just off the English coast–and its three-day launch party is easily the most coveted A-list invite of the decade. But behind the scenes, tensions are at breaking point: the ambitious and expensive project has pushed the Home Group’s CEO and his long-suffering team to their absolute limits. All of them have something to hide–and that’s before the beautiful people with their own ugly secrets even set foot on the island. As tempers fray and behavior worsens, as things get more sinister by the hour and the body count piles up, some of Island Home’s members will begin to wish they’d never made the guest list. Because at this club, if your name’s on the list, you’re not getting out.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2022.

Download The club: a novel DB108284