Saturday, October 1, 2011

September 2011


A new mystery series to follow and the third installment of a favorite mystery series were the highlights of my September reading.

Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien
Rating: 4/5 Non-fiction Scale
Source: Mt. TBR
Format: Hardcover



For a very special reason, all things owl are dear to me. Stacey O'Brien's life long devotion to Wesley was amazing. Learned a lot about owls, communication, love, and "The Way of the Owl."

First line: On a rainy Valentine's Day in 1985, I fell in love with a four-day-old barn owl.




One Coffee With by Margaret Maron
Rating: 3/5 Mystery Scale
Source: Amazon Kindle
Format: eBook

Margaret Maron is more well known for her Deborah Knott series. One Coffee With (1982) is the first book in her earlier series featuring Sigrid Harald, a NYPD homicide detective. Set on the campus of New York's Vanderlyn College, academic rivalry, petty jealousy, greed, and revenge form the backdrop to the murder of a prominent member of the Art Department faculty. I'm looking forward to reading the other seven books in this series.

First line: Few institutions of higher learning are content that their faculties do nothing but teach.



Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
Rating: 2.5/5
Source: Amazon Kindle
Format: eBook


The September 2011 selection for the Barnes & Noble (Burlington, MA) Romance Readers. Historical romances are known for their over-the-top sensuality, but Wicked Intentions bordered on the pornographically erotic. To paraphrase Nixon, I am not a prude; however, a very good story with a hero and heroine worth rooting for doesn't need the gratituous distractions.

First line: A woman abroad in St. Giles at midnight was either very foolish or very desperate.



Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher
Rating: 3.5/5 Fiction Scale
Source: Barnes & Noble
Format: Trade Paperback



An thoughtful story of grief, love, and secrets and a family's journey to acceptance of new loves and changes. I loved the author's dedication: This novel is dedicated to the reader. For this singular moment, it's just the two of us.

First line: Here is one way to say it: Grief is a love story told backward.





A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd
Rating: 4/5 Mystery Scale
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover


The Bess Crawford series continues to intrigue me as once again in this third installment secrets of family and the war intertwine to provide a page-turning reading experience. A family mourning the death of a son and brother, a trusted friend, a portrait, and a French orphan--all seem to lead us to a murderer, or do they? And, is there a rival on the horizon for Simon Brandon's affection for Bess? The Australian Sergeant Larimore certainly seems smitten....

First line: A cold rain had followed me from France to England, and an even colder wind greeted me as we pulled into the railway station in London.

2 comments:

Les said...

I need to start reading Charles Todd. I think my mom reads these mysteries and has enjoyed them.

Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted sounds like my kind of book. I love the dedication and first line.

Marcia said...

Les~On the Porch Swing discussed Provence Cure for the Broken Hearted. Many found a lot more "meat" in the story than I did. I was too busy simply reading a darn good, well written story. :)

I've read only the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd and have yet to take up the Ian Rutledge series. I enjoy the pace and civility of Bess Crawford's mysteries.