The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side / Agatha Christie

 

4.35 out of 5 stars 

I could swear that I have never read this book before, but I knew immediately who the murderer was! Maybe there was a television version? I did watch Joan Hickson as Miss Marple back in the day. That's my only explanation for my conviction on this point.

Despite that I enjoyed the mystery. Like many of Christie's novels, it took a rhyme, this time Tennyson's poem The Lady of Shalott, and worked it into the novel just as she did with several nursery rhymes. Quite effectively too. It also allowed me the luxury of being able to observe Christie's careful structuring of the crime.

Of course I do adore Jane Marple, who seems to be Aunt Jane to ever so many detectives. Just like her characters Tommy and Tuppence, Christie allowed Miss Marple to age, with all the tribulation that entails. I had great sympathy for her, being saddled with the dense, controlling Miss Knight. I have a sister who seems to think that because one of my knees doesn't work so well that I can't take care of myself. Our last serious spat resulted from her trying to “help" without asking whether help was required or desired (it was not). I laughed out loud when Miss M declared to Inspector Craddock that she was tempted to murder the woman!

Book 4 of my 2025 Read Your Hoard challenge.

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear / Seanan McGuire

 

3 out of 5 stars 

I have the feeling that Seanan McGuire would be a lovely person to have coffee and a chat with. She and I share many values, which she makes plain in her books. We both acknowledge the human rights of LGBTQ+ people and those whose bodies do not conform to the societal norm, the desire to let everyone live according to their own choices and to use their talents as they see fit, and even the wish that capitalism wasn't so damn capitalistic. We wish for a kind and accepting world, in other words.

This series is meant for young adults. I remember being that age and how bamboozled I felt when confronted by literature in school. I didn't understand things like symbolism, metaphor, or foreshadowing—I was the most literal of readers. (Trying to parse George Orwell's Animal Farm just about broke my brain. I never really did understand it until I reread it in my fifties.) I think that teenage me would have appreciated McGuire's clear and blatant moral messages in these novellas. In my current incarnation (early sixties), I find it somewhat tiring.

So, in this installment, we spend time with Nadya, a girl in a Russian orphanage with a congenitally missing right hand and forearm. She does not perceive herself as handicapped, just as her own slightly different self. That is until she is adopted by an American couple who seem to believe she is defective and who arrange to get her a prosthetic limb without asking Nadya if she wants such a thing. For a supposed Christian couple, Carl and Pansy are more about performative charity than true good will.

Understandably, Nadya constantly feels like she is disappointing them. She is unhappy and lonely, seeking solace in watching the turtles in a nearby pond. Readers who have come this far in this series will be unsurprised when she splashes through a watery Door to the Drowned World, a place where she finds acceptance and happiness. However, a world without challenges can't exist, so Nadya’s life contains some rough waters.

Regarding cover art: at least this dust jacket is not misleading. You see a turtle and you get turtles. Yes, I'm still bitter about the previous book which showed a lovely sauropod and did not deliver.

Shutter / Ramona Emerson

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Have you ever thought that it might be cool to be able to see ghosts? To get a peek into the afterlife? Rita Todacheene would vehemently disagree with you! She is a Navajo woman who has been able to see and hear ghosts since she was a child and it has only caused her problems. The ghosts want her to do things for them and they are not patient or understanding about it. Her grandmother and the local medicine man plead with Rita not to acknowledge these apparitions, not to let them get their hooks into her.

That's easier said than done. Rita is the latest in a line of photographers and there aren't many ways to earn a living with a camera. Rita is a forensic photographer, attending crime scenes. A dangerous place for someone with Rita's ability. At a confusing scene, an enraged ghost latches on and refuses to let go until her death is avenged. How can Rita solve the case when she is not a cop and really can't reveal her sources if she wants to be believed?

This is a fascinating look into the world of the Navajo and the profession of forensic photography (both things that Rita has in common with the author). The talking-to-ghosts aspect reminded me of The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu, where a Scots-Zimbabwean teenager, Ropa, has learned ghost talking from her grandmother. She relays information to the survivors for a price. Rita gets no such benefits from the spirits who follow her and hound her. She is driven into dangerous situations by the furious Erma, who refuses to accept her ghostly situation.

If you enjoy this book, you might also like Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse, an urban fantasy set in a futuristic Navajo nation. If you are interested in the Navajo worldview and the supernatural, you might consider The Paranormal Ranger: A Navajo Investigator's Search for the Unexplained by Stanley Milford.

Apprentice to the Villain / Hannah Nicole Maehrer

 

3.25 out of 5 stars 

It probably was me, but I found the first chapters of this book very chaotic and confusing. Events occurred at a frenetic pace and I struggled to remember who was who and what their relationships to one another were. Eventually I regained my equilibrium and started to enjoy myself again. Usually, I am all about a slow-burn romance. However that is the only story line that proceeds at a glacial speed. Evie and Trystan can't be this obtuse, surely? Again, as the plot progresses we come to realize that they both care deeply for each other, but Trystan is interpreting prophecy to mean that he will ruin Evie's life if he accepts her love. The typical irresistible force encountering the immovable object.

Definitely a fractured fairy tale, with the dastardly Villain in place of the handsome prince. All the elements are present—a fortress protected by magic, a man turned into a frog, magical buildings and plants, fire-breathing dragons, knights and fair damsels. Although the damsels aren't the fainting sort and can give as good as they get.

Can the magic of the Kingdom be restored before things fall completely apart? Will it be the King or the Villain who saves the land? I assume that all will be revealed in the third volume. I'm unsure, however, that I'll be reading that one. In my opinion, this would have better as a duology than a trilogy. All that was cute in the first volume is somewhat tired in the second one. But that's just me.

The Author's Guide to Murder / Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White

 

3.7 out of 5 stars 

A book about three women authors who go to Scotland to co-author a book together, written by three women authors who met at a conference and decide to write a novel together. Very meta. At least the actual authors truly are friends and co-conspirators, unlike the fictional Kat, Cassie and Emma, who really don't know each other well and don't like what they do know. At least until they discover the reason that their editor has sent them off to Scotland together.

The mystery manages to deal with matters of plagiarism and the treatment of women in the publishing industry, while lightening the mood with plenty of Scots and American stereotypes and regular cozy mystery tropes. True to life it is not, but the three authors obviously had a great deal of fun with all the ridiculous details. Beatrice the sheep was a favourite character for me.

When the organizer of the workshop is found dead, the three American authors are each, for their own reasons, convinced that they will be arrested for the crime. They find a real friendship while trying to identify the true murderer together. Unlike most cozy mysteries, the women fumble their way toward the truth, admitting that they're not really expert at solving crimes.

Quirky, funny, and entertaining, I would recommend it if you like books like The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, or The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year.

Normal Women / Philippa Gregory

 

3.5 out of 5 stars 

This book took me much longer than anticipated simply because it contains so much information. It covers 900 years of women's history and features so-called normal women—not the rulers or exceptional women, but the lives of ordinary women.

Sadly, we can still recognize the same prejudices against women in current times as in the Medieval years. The male desire to see women as inferior and incompetent still haunts us and prevents women from receiving equal pay to men. Misogyny seems to be entwined with racism and homophobia, and has been for centuries. The fantasy that white men are supposed to be in control of everything holds us back, but even in Medieval times women found ways to use their talents.

It seems to always be assumed that the most important relationship in a woman's life is a husband, but I would suggest it is more often her mother, daughter, or close friend(s). I have always maintained that men come and go, but the women in my life are permanent. Men may try to limit us, but it seems we can always wiggle out of those limits to build lives that we are happy with.

Informative and infuriating.

My Zombie Valentine

 

3.25 out of 5 stars 

This is a combination of three things that are not my favourites: zombies, Valentine's Day, and anthologies. So it should have utterly failed for me and yet I enjoyed myself.

It's been a while since I read one of Katie MacAlister's novels featuring Dark Ones and their Beloveds. These are fun parodies of the vampire romances that take themselves a little too seriously. As much as I enjoy this style of paranormal romance, I can also acknowledge the underlying ridiculousness of it. I certainly don't read them for reality!

Angie Fox is another author who I am familiar with, having enjoyed some of her Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries. Her story in this collection was a complete departure from those novels, but quite cute. The short story format requires a compact product. If I have any criticism of her novels, it's that the continuing plot advances at a glacial pace. I would be willing to read more short fiction by Fox.

The last two stories were by authors I didn't know. Marianne Mancusi's involves the filming of a zombie movie where the acting gets a little too real. Lisa Cach explores a link between plastic surgery and a zombie-like pursuit of sugar.

A fun Valentine's Day read.

The Spare Man / Mary Robinette Kowal

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Tesla Crane and her brand new husband Shal are on honeymoon, a cruise to Mars on the ISS Lindgren. Tesla is incredibly wealthy and quite handicapped from the horrible accident that ended her stellar career in cyber engineering. They have paid the premium to be incognito and have been enjoying being able to act like regular people. That is until someone in a neighbouring suite is murdered. Shal, a retired detective, pursues the murderer and ends up framed for the crime. Tesla is not going to allow this injustice to stand.

First, let me say that this is set in the future, but it is definitely not a Star Trek kind of universe, as great disparities in income are glaringly obvious. This world isn't past money yet. There are staff who admit to being forced by poverty to take serving jobs aboard the cruise liner, much like today. As with present day cruise companies, staff must be careful of their words and actions. Nor is this society past misogyny as Tesla must contend with a belligerent Chief of Security who couldn't reason his way out of a paper bag.

Frankly, the action flows quickly and I quickly gave up trying to finger the murderer and just enjoyed the ride. I alternated between being a bit annoyed at Tesla for capitalizing on her fame and money to get everyone to dance to her tune, and absolutely adoring her shark-like lawyer, Fantine, who crochets wildly during the time lapses in their conversations and spews the best insults ever. I was particularly fond of “mammering lobsters.” Tesla was saved for me because of her adorable service dog, wee Gimlet, and the fact that Shal actually is being railroaded by an incompetent bully in a position of power. Tesla and Shal exude charm enough to make up for some imperiousness and, truly, being rich shouldn't mean that you have to accept shoddy investigation.

I kind of wish that I had read The Thin Man before this novel. I have it on good authority that Tesla and Shal are a future-timeline Nick and Nora. The general vibe is very reminiscent of the crime fiction of the 1930s.

The Golden Torc / Julian May

 

4 out of 5 stars 

2025 Re-Read

A trifle less enjoyable than volume one of the series, possibly because war/battle scenes don't excite me much any more. I'm just all battled out. But that doesn't mean that it was boring. We continue to follow the members of the Green Team who arrived in the Pliocene together. The two most prominent are Felice and Aikin Drum, the two most amoral people on the team, who are willing to make sacrifices (of other people) to gain their desires. And they desire power, probably why they were initially drawn to the whole one-way-ticket to the Pliocene in the first place.

Elizabeth, who had been unable to regain her mental powers in the Galactic Milieu, is transformed by the time portal and becomes the most powerful operant person in the Pliocene. Everybody wants her for various purposes, but the Tanu primarily desire her as breeding stock. If they can become psychically operant without the assistance of their torcs, they can defeat the enemy Firvulag.

Felice desperately desires a golden torc to release her latent psychic talents and she pursues this goal relentlessly. She is consumed with the need for revenge on those she perceives as standing in her way. Aiken Drum received a silver torc upon arrival and has worked his way up to fantastically operant without the help of any hardware. Neither of them are trustworthy leaders, however.

Madame Guderian, who was the entrepreneur who opened the time portal, chose to embark on her own trip to the past and now regrets opening this Pandora's box. Can she do anything about it? Will Bryan, the anthropologist, find his love, Mercy? And will Claude find a new purpose once the nun Amery has established herself in the rebel human camp?

As you can tell, it is the personal stories that entice the reader along if the action of the plot doesn't grab them. I am thoroughly enjoying the rereading experience.

Book 3 of my 2025 Read Your Hoard challenge.

The Lake of Lost Girls / Katherine Greene

 

3.3 stars?

Lindsey Fadley's life is on hold, just as it has been since her big sister Jessica disappeared. Jess went out to her car to get the birthday cake and is never seen again. Lindsey still lives at home with her parents. Where would she go until she learns what happened? Still, she alternately appreciates and resents the two women who are hosting a true crime podcast focusing on Jess and the other young women from her campus who disappeared during the same time frame. She also wonders about the journalist who has tracked her down and wants her assistance with his investigation.

The novel shifts between the past, seen from Jessica's point of view, and the present with Lindsey. We get to accompany Jess as her life spins out of control, her grades slip, and her alcohol consumption escalates, though there are only hints at what is bothering her so much. Lindsey has hope that the cold case will break open when a body is found out by a local lake.

There are actually two authors who have created a pseudonym to publish their joint writing. In my opinion, they have written an effective mystery, replete with red herrings and suitably ambiguous about the characters' motivations. Sadly, as in real life, there is a collection of reprehensible men available to choose from as you build your theories. If you like this book, I would recommend Bright Young Women (the 1970s) or The Quarry Girls (the 1980s). In The Lake of Lost Girls the murder takes place in the 1990s. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

The Love of My Afterlife / Kirsty Greenwood

 

4 out of 5 stars 

What is it with farcical romances recently? It seems to be a definite trend.

Delphie is a rather reclusive woman, socially awkward because of it. She was bullied in school and has been trying to blend into the background ever since. If she doesn't stand out, the mean people will leave her alone, right? And then one evening she chokes to death on a microwaved burger and comes to in an antechamber of the afterlife, where she meets Merritt, her afterlife mentor who is every bit as awkward and obtuse as Delphie. When Delphie runs screaming, she collides with a handsome man who has also just arrived and they just click. When Jonah's death is determined to be a glitch and he is sent back, Delphie reaches a bargain with Merritt: she may return to Earth and London for 10 days. If she can track down Jonah and get him to kiss her within those 10 days, she gets to stay alive,

London is a big place and 10 days is slipping through her fingers. Delphie must do things she would never normally do in order to meet her soulmate. She is always arriving at an event just after Jonah has left or she is comically unprepared or a new acquaintance is dragging her into a ridiculous situation. She fake-dates her grumpy neighbour to get his computer assistance, attends a drawing class with a woman she met at the dog park, and impersonates an actress at the talent agency that Jonah uses. She bounces from one unlikely scenario to the next at breakneck speed.

Despite the fact that I guessed where the plot was headed, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. The slapstick tones down and Delphie learns how to make friends and enjoy her life. She can stand out, be noticed without being hurt.

If you enjoy this book, I would also recommend The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis and The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton. You may also like The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner or A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd.

Lost Horizon / James Hilton

 

R

4 out of 5 stars 

I'm reasonably sure that I first read this book at age 13 because my best friend was reading it, so basically a buddy read. I've been meaning to reread it for some time and now, 50 years later, I managed to find a few friends to buddy read with me again. I'm quite convinced that I didn't really understand it as a teen, although I couldn't recall any details.

I found myself comparing Lost Horizon with H. Rider Haggard's She. Both involve Englishmen who stumble into lost civilizations. Of course neither could possibly be run by a local inhabitant—in both cases they are overseen by a mysterious Caucasian. It is difficult to find either civilization but those who are meant to be there are drawn to them. Freaky long life is featured in both instances. (And I wore out our school's copy of She because I loved it so much. The librarian gave me the discarded copy.)

I have to say that the life at Shangri-la didn't appeal to me at all, despite presumably having much more time to tackle my TBR. The older I get, the less happy I am with cold weather, something pretty unavoidable in the Himalayas. I don't think of myself as particularly social, but the limited number of people available would certainly give me pause. It is interesting to me that Shangri-la has become identified as a utopian society, a place to be sought out. It could just as easily be a dystopia. It is also fascinating that real-life expeditions have tried to search for it. Hilton obviously hit a nerve.

I was left with a kind of delicious limbo, wondering if Conway's experience was real or the result of a PTSD fugue state. The neuroscientist who frames the story with prologue and epilogue gives just enough tantalizing details to tease but not to confirm. Being one of those people who love ambiguous endings, this was a good novel for me.

Book 2 of my 2025 Read Your Hoard Challenge.