The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Books to Read During a Pandemic, Part 36)

Posted on November 27, 2020 by bseat

In the middle of colder days and longer nights, this book was a ray of sunshine and delight.

Osman’s septuagenarian sleuths who meet every Thursday in the Jigsaw Room of their retirement community (hence the name “The Thursday Murder Club’) have become quite adept and tenacious at investigating unsolved murder cases. The members of the group rely on their wide ranging experience; a police officer, a psychiatrist, a nurse, a scientist, a union agitator and one who seems to have many friends in many high places in government, to help untangle these unsolved mysteries.

But when a local developer and his partner are killed under suspicious circumstances, The Thursday Murder Club decides that they will investigate. While their methods are unorthodox and the police are skeptical, this brilliant group begins to make some headway into solving the murders, until another body is discovered.

Osman hits all the right notes. He is witty but never patronizing. His characters are three-dimensional who carry the accumulation of both joy and regret which comes from living long, full lives, but instead of wallowing in the past they are living life to its fullest and finding ways to be both relevant and helpful.

This was a delightful read. I hope we hear more from the Thursday Murder Club!

Brenda’s Rating: ****(4 out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian, Lauren and Keith.

Book Study Worthy? Yes!

Read in ebook format.

Posted in Books to Read During a Pandemic, Detective novel, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani

Posted on September 5, 2025 by bseat

Many of the books we read follow a well know archetype- boy goes on a quest/journey and becomes a man. These are often great books like William Krueger’s This Tender Land, or All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr or the Goldfinch by Donna Tart. But sometimes I wish there were more stores about girls who go on a quest or journey and become women. Many of these types of books are labeled romance because the the main goal for women is to find a husband, marry and have children. So I was impressed with this book by Trigiani, who emphasized the journey and emotional and mental process of growing into your own person. Although there is some romance, this is not the focus of the book, instead it is about a woman who realizes that she needs to grow up and choose for herself who she wants to be instead of letting her family do it for her.

Giuseppina Capodimonte Baratta, known to everyone but her mother as Jess, is stuck in a life that she no longer wants. Recently divorced from her high school sweetheart she has moved back into her parent’s basement as she tries to heal and figure out what she wants to do next. A talented draftsmen, she works with her uncle in his marble business. She takes care of her parents, and her grandmother who lives close by, and cooks dinner for the entire extended family on Sunday.

She is trying to disentangle herself from the expectations of her close Italian family, but she finds that often her own desires are at odds with her family’s expectations and finds it difficult to manage their disappointment. So in order to understand this dynamic which seems to keep her trapped, she signs up for online therapy. She also begins looking for an apartment away from her hometown of Lake Como, New Jersey.

Although she is beginning to make steps to reclaim her life, everything accelerates after an unexpected family loss which also reveals long buried family secrets. Reeling from shock and betrayal, Jess decides she must leave and gets on a plane for Carrara, Italy, her family’s ancestral home and the source of the marble that was used in her uncles’ marble business. Jess hopes that the distance and also learning more about her family’s origins will help bring perspective and healing.

In Italy she meets fellow artisans, marble cutters and visits amazing buildings with extraordinary marble interiors that stimulate her creativity. She finds work as a draftsman and begins to settle feeling for the first time a sense of joy and purpose in her life. One of the artisans she meets, Angelo Strazza, encourages her work and soon there is a spark between them that Jess never anticipated. And then just as everything seemed to be going so smoothly Jess uncovers another secret that could tear her whole family apart.

This was such an interesting story and refreshing twist on an old archetye. Trigiani used the online therapy as a way of revealing Jess’ back story and her various relationships with the members of her family. Although it sometimes felt a little intrusive to have these vignettes show up in the middle of a current plot line they were helpful in understanding Jess’ reactions and thinking. The Italian family dynamic and the drama it engendered was sometimes hilarious but also painful. Trigiani has created an amazing set of characters and some day I hope there is a sequel so we know what happens to all of them next!

Brenda’s Rating:**** (4 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian, Lauren and Keith

Books Study Worthy? Yes

Read in ebook format.

Posted in Adventure, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Posted on August 29, 2025 by bseat

I sometimes find the book designation “YA” or “Young Adult” a bit confusing and limiting. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was a breakout YA novel as was Twilight by Stephanie Meyer and more recently Leigh Bardugos’s Shadow and Bone series as well as Six of Crows.  This year I have reviewed several series that are considered YA novels, which I loved even though I am a sixty something grandmother. So although the designation may be helpful for some, I think we who are older are missing out if we skip these books just because we are no longer young adults, or skip over them because they are aimed for a younger audience.

So with that being said, I have been totally enjoying a YA series called The Inheritance Games  by Barnes. She has created a most interesting cast of characters and a very complicated plot line that keeps you guessing all the way through. I am now on book three but I am reading them like I am eating popcorn- I just can’t stop!

Avery Grambs is a normal high schooler with plans for the future. She will excel in her classes, get a scholarship and get out of her restrictive small life. She feels bad about leaving her mom and sister, but she wants more out of life! But fate has other plans and when mega billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies, she suddenly finds that he has left almost his entire fortune to her rather than to his daughters or his four grandsons! However, Avery has no clue why she was made an heir to the Hawthorne fortune, since she never met Tobias and as far as she knows she is completely unrelated.

In order to claim the inheritance, however, Avery must move into the Hawthorne mansion which is filled with all the other Hawthorne relations who have all been cut out of the will. After an initial period where the family treats her with suspicion, Avery is able to forge alliances with some of the grandsons- Grayson who was the heir apparent, and Jameson who is obsessed with puzzles and games and slowly, together, they begin to unravel the twisted logic of Tobias Hawthorne’s will.

Barnes creates her characters meticulously. They are complicated, and have many different emotions and motivations. Avery especially is very easy to identify with as she is thrown into a completely unknown world and has to find a way to stay true to the person she really is. There is romance, violence, and jealousy making for a rich brew in which to plot and create suspense. This is a great beach read or a great series to read on a long airplane ride. You will not want to stop!

Brenda’s Rating: ****(4 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian and Lauren

Book Study Worthy? Sure!

Read in e-book format.**

**The ideal reading order is: The Inheritance Games, The Hawthorne Legacy, The Final Gambit, The Brothers Hawthorne, The Grandest Game, Games Untold, Glorious Rivals, and The Same Backward as Forward. 

Posted in Beach Read, Books to take on vacation, Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Series, Suspense, YA | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

Posted on August 22, 2025 by bseat

When I read this book I kept wanting to put it down because it was getting too intense, but on the other hand I wanted to gut through it and finish it all as fast as I could to find out how it ended. That is the sign of a great psychological thriller! Everything happens in one place with nine strangers who have come to spend ten days at a very high end health resort and retreat center that supports and encourages healthy diet and exercise as well as inner awareness and understanding. What could go wrong? Well, it turns out quite a few things can go wrong and do!

Francis Welty, a romance novelist who is suffering from low sales, a broken heart and a bad back, has come to Tranquillium House to regroup and hopefully be refreshed, while finding an answer to why her life has turned out the way it has. Once she arrives she is curious about her fellow guests, most of whom seem so fit and put together that coming to a health resort seems unnecessary. Even more intriguing is the charismatic owner and leader of Tranquillium House, who seems to have all the answers Francis is seeking. Can Francis really trust trust this person? Or should she listen to the increasingly strident voice of caution inside her head, telling her to run before it is too late?

What Francis doesn’t know is that all the guests at the retreat are having the same doubts and asking the same question.

Chilling and absorbing, Moriarty takes the time to develop her characters and then with exquisite care twists the plot until you are racing to the end. This was a great read but you will need to commit to staying up late until you finish it!  This is now a series on HULU with Nicole Kidman starring as the charismatic leader and Melissa McCarthy as Francis! Either way I think you will enjoy this intriguing novel.

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Keith, Lauren and Marian.

Book Study Worthy? Yes

Read in e-library format.

Posted in Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Nightshade by Michael Connelly

Posted on August 15, 2025 by bseat

As you know I love Michael Connelly and have reviewed many of his books in the Bosch, Lincoln Lawyer, and Renée Ballard series. This book, introduces a new main character- Detective Stillwell- and the novel is set outside of the milieu of Los Angeles on Catalina Island. That took a bit of an adjustment since I love the characters I’ve  grown used to, but Connelly weaves his magic and soon I was caught up in the complicated life of Detective Stillwell and the small police force on Catalina Island.

Stillwell was “banished” from his LAPD homicide detective position to Catalina Island due to office politics and a run in with an another homicide detective. He had loved his work at the LAPD, but the more rustic and slow pace of policing on Catalina island had its charm as well. Here he led a small department whose mode of transportation was electric golf carts and the crime they dealt with was mostly with petty thefts and drunk and disorderly visitors.   It was an adjustment, but Stillwell was beginning to settle in and appreciated the beauty of the island as well as the reasonable and regular hours.

That is until he got a report of a body being discovered in the harbor. The “Jane Doe” was a young woman with a dyed purple streak in her hair. she had been weighed down with an anchor and had been under water for at least several days. If that isn’t enough to deal with, he also gets a report of a killing of a protected species on the island’s nature preserve. As the investigation progresses, Stillwell finds that  the  “Jane Doe” worked at the exclusive club on the island as a server but had been recenlty fired. She was also suspected of stealing a valuable sculpture piece that stood in the lobby of the club since it went missing shortly after she was fired. Soon Stillwell uncovers connections to the mainland and he must contend with more bureaucracy as he must share the investigation with a former colleague on the mainland-the detective who sent him to the island in the first place. Convinced that his ex- colleague will never solve the case, Stillwell goes against protocol and continues to work it, and uncovers a dark and dangerous secret that holds the key to the murder.

In the meantime, the killing at the animal preserve seems to have direct connections to one of the most notorious residents on the island who is willing to do anything to protect his business interests. Suddenly Stillwell and his fellow police officers are facing violence and danger they never expected to face on the streets of LA much less on Catalina Island, as they try to find answers to the brutal mutilation of this animal.

This was a fun read and I really enjoyed it. I think if I had not known it was written by Connelly I would have had no qualms in giving it a great review. But since I do know it was written by Connelly, I felt that it lacked the depth and character development that I have so enjoyed in his other books. I realize that he has developed those characters over time so it may be that as we hear more about Detective Stillwell we will see depth and character development happen in this series as well.  I think it is hard for writers to maintain their own interest in their characters after writing about them for twenty or more years. So introducing a new character and a new location is one way to create interest for themselves, but it’s hard for readers to make the switch, as I noticed in reading many reviews of this book.  Maybe I am being too kind, but I want to give Connelly a little more time to develop this series before I write it off.

Brenda’s Rating: *** 1/2 Stars (3 1/2 Out Of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon and Keith

Book Study worthy? not really.

Read in e-library format.

Posted in Detective novel, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense | Tagged , | Leave a comment

All The Colors Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker

Posted on August 8, 2025 by bseat

I found this book through a “Best of 2025 List” I saw recently on Facebook and am so glad I did!  Although the subject matter is rather is disturbing (child kidnapping) the story focuses on the after effects on those who were rescued, those who love them and the police and adults who were supposed to protect them. Whitaker does an amazing job in working with the different characters- a boy who was rescued, his best friend who eventually found him, the boy’s mother, the police chief who gave up and a town who never quite recovers from the evil that lurked in their town. Whitaker gives us the aftermath with clarity, insight and compassion and as we watch these characters grow up to be adults we can see how the reverberations of what happened still echo in their lives.

Patch is an unusual kid. He only has one eye, and sometimes he wears a patch which is how he got his name. His mom works as a cleaner and sometimes a waitress; a single mom trying her best in a bad situation. Patch’s friend, Saint, lives under better circumstances, but is being raised by her grandmother, after her mom passed away. Things might have worked out for both of these kids, except that one night Patch, while walking in the woods, sees a man trying to take the daughter of the wealthiest family in town. He saves the girl, but in doing so is taken in her place.

What follows is a desperate search for Patch, which reveals that a number of girls have been missing in the area and have never been found. Over time the trail goes cold but Saint persists, not able to give up on her friend. She wants nothing more than to have Patch back but what she finds is that even if you get your hearts desire, things can never be the way they were and that everyone has been changed by what has happened, even Saint herself.

Set in 1975, this story takes several genres- the missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller and a love story and creates a soulful reflection on the razor edge between triumph and tragedy. This was an amazing feat of storytelling!

Brenda’s Rating:***** (5 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Marian, Sharon and Keith

Book Study Worthy? Yes

Read in e-library format.

Posted in Detective novel, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Mystery, Romance, Thriller | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Fixer by Joseph Finder

Posted on August 1, 2025 by bseat

I seem to be going back again and again to Joseph Finder’s books. He is so creative in dreaming up plot lines that put his characters in jeopardy and then makes them really work hard to get out of the danger. But he also explores the humanity of his characters-what makes them compromise their morals, what triggers their self deception or what makes them try to do better. This is what makes for a good novel, one that is compelling and makes you ask the questions about what you would do if you were in that characters’ position. The answer might surprise you!

Rick Hoffman got fired, lost his fiancée and his apartment in a vey short period of time.  The only option he had left was to move back into his childhood home which was now empty after his father had suffered a stroke and moved into a nursing home. This was not the plan, of course, but Rick had made enough enemies as a reporter, his boss included, that being alone, jobless and homeless almost seemed like karma.

Rick’s childhood home was in desperate shape. His father’s lack of attention to maintenance when he lived there and then the years it stood empty after he moved into a nursing home had taken their toll. As Rick begins trying to assess what needs to be done, he suddenly makes a shocking discovery! Hidden in the walls of the house are stacks of cash amounting to millions of dollars. Suddenly, Ricks’ life is utterly transformed, including  everything Rick thought he knew about his father. Unable to ask his father directly due to the affects of the stroke, Rick begins to investigate, going through the files from his father’s law practice stored in the basement of the house. As forces from his father’s past converge, Rick is soon in a desperate race for survival since the money trail he uncovers leads to a decades old cover up and a conspiracy which threatens the powerful.

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Marian, Sharon, Keith and Ken

Book Study Worthy? Yes

Read in e-book Format.

Posted in Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Posted on July 25, 2025 by bseat

I had never heard of Robert Jackson Bennett before, but he is a well established fantasy writer who is gaining considerable critical acclaim. He currently has three series that he is working on simultaneously, one of which is The Shadow of the Leviathan series and this book, The Tainted Cup, is the first in that series.

Ana Dolabra, is an eccentric but brilliant investigator for the Empire. Her assistant, Dinios Kol is an engraver, someone who has been magically altered to have a perfect memory. Together they have been sent to investigate the murder of a high imperial officer, in a canton on the edge of the Empire. Here the Leviathans emerge from the sea and try to breach the walls and their blood works strange anomalies and causes contagions that threaten the safety and security of the whole Empire. The case they are sent to investigate – the death of the military officer – is a case in point, since it appears that a tree spontaneously erupted from his body pinning him to his bed while branches and trunks emerged from his body and filled the room.

Since Ana seems to have phobias that rarely permit her to leave her room, Din must investigate on his own, taking notes and recordings in his mind of both the scene of the crime and interviews with witnesses. He then returns to Ana and relates everything that he saw or heard and Ana begins to deduce the next steps they must take to further the investigation. Although at first this seems like a rather tedious process, Din soon realizes that Ana’s ability to relate various disconnected facts, and find connections between them is quite astounding, and as the case progresses, he begins to understand why she has the reputation for being an extraordinary investigator. With limited time as the canton faces obliteration from another Leviathan breach, Ana and Din race to uncover a conspiracy that threatens topple the Empire itself.

I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series- A Drop of Corruption!

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian and Lauren

Book Study Worthy? yes

Read in e-library format.

Posted in Detective novel, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Series | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawson

Posted on July 11, 2025 by bseat

This is my first time reading something by Lawhon, but it will certainly not be my last! Based on a real midwife who lived in Maine in the 1780’s this book sang with authenticity. Lawhon imbued the story and the characters with in-depth research and life, creating a novel that I couldn’t put down!

In the small town of Hallowell, Maine a man’s body is discovered entombed in the frozen Kennebec River. Martha Ballard, the local healer and midwife, is summoned to examine the body and determine the cause of death.  She finds that the man has been murdered and reports her findings to the local authorities and also records her findings in her own bound book which records the births and deaths and aliments of almost everyone in the community.

In fact just a few months earlier she had recorded the sexual assault and rape of one of the women in the town, In addition to her documenting the physical evidence of the rape she had also recorded the names of the men the woman accused of this crime. The man who was found in the river was one of the men the woman had accused, in addition to one of the town’s well  respected gentleman. A few days later that very gentleman requests that a physician who had just recently moved into town examine the body as well, and that physician finds that the death is accidental, upending Martha’s conclusion.

Sensing that both the murder and rape are being covered up, Martha decides to investigate the murder on her own despite the risk to her reputation and the lives of her family. As the court date approaches, her diary of her work as a healer and midwife become important evidence, as well as her fearless testimony. But will it be enough to stop a man who will stop at nothing in order to cover up his crimes?

Based on the life and diary of Martha Ballard a renowned midwife and healer, today her diary is a great resource for understanding what life as a healer and midwife was like, what illness were prevalent in 18th century America, and how they were treated. The court case really did happen and her diary and testimony became important pieces of evidence in her fight for justice. Knowing the historical basis for this novel made it all the more compelling!

Brenda’s Rating: ***** (5 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Marian, Keith, Sharon and Ken

Book Study worthy? Yes!

Read in e-library format.

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Blood &Beauty and In the Name of the Family by Sarah Dunant

Posted on July 4, 2025 by bseat

In these times it is helpful to look back in history and find a time period not unlike our own and see what lessons we can learn.  So I decided to read about the Borgia family. They were consumed with power, greed and were famous for their shameless corruption.  The similarities to what is happening now is quite extraordinary!

In these two volumes Blood & Beauty and In the Name of the Family, Dunant has created an extraordinary novel about the rise and fall of this infamous family based on sound historical research and personal letters and journals. She fills in the story with many historical details, from the types of clothing that was worn or the kinds of food that were served and chronicles  the progress of a new disease called the French disease, which we now know as syphilis.

We are immersed in Renaissance Italy right from the beginning of these novels as we learn how Rodrigo Borgia plotted, bribed and manipulated his way into becoming Pope Alexander VI on August 11, 1492. From then on until his death on August 18, 1503 his reign as pope was focused solely on creating opportunities for gaining more power, enriching his family through military conquest, diplomatic manipulation and personally beneficial alliances through the marriage of his children,

Rodrigo had several mistresses during his lifetime, and it was an open secret that he slept with them and cared for them even when he was Pope. He had several children, of whom the most important to his dynastic impulses were Cesare and Lucretia. With Cesare’s help, Rodrigo began to plan how to manipulate, bribe and intimidate all of Italy to come under his protection and control. With Lucretia, who Rodrigo genuinely loved, he sealed alliances by marriage.

What is indeed fascinating, was that although there were moments when the Borgia family seemed to be in control, those times were illusory at best. Disease, including syphilis, plague, foreign invasions and diplomatic failures, as well as military defeats and death all contributed to the eventual end of the Borgia papacy and its attempt to create an empire. If there is a lesson here, it is that this kind of power based on greed and manipulation cannot last since its very foundation is unstable and suseptible to further manipulation or bribery by others. Governments that treat their people poorly and do not attend to the peoples’ needs eventually fall under the weight of its’ own indifference. We can see signs of that happening even now in our own time which makes me hopeful that like the Borgias, this too shall pass.

Brenda’s Rating: ***** (5 Out Of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to Keith, Ken, Sharon and Marian.

Book Study Worthy? Yes

Read in ebook format.

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Series | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Blood and Ash Series by Jennifer Armentrout

Posted on June 27, 2025 by bseat

I began this series after I finished another series by Armentrout. Sometimes what you really liked in one series by an author doesn’t translate into a different series, but once I started these books I couldn’t put them down! So many plot twists, forbidden love, and a world making that is quite extraordinary! If you love fantasy, this series is an amazing experience!

Poppy’s life has never been her own. Ever since the traumatic childhood event when her parents were killed, she has been raised to be The Maiden, who upon her Ascension will usher in a new era for her kingdom. But the cost of being The Maiden is extremely high. She cannot be touched or spoken too, and must wear a veil so that no one can see her face. Locked up in the castle, her life is severely circumscribed, her only duty is to be found worthy of the gods so that she can save the kingdom from those who seek to destroy it.

But despite all these limitations, Poppy has found ways to circumvent the rules that keep her so isolated. She trains her body by learning how to fight with a sword. She also finds that she has the power to ease the pain of those who are sick or dying and often slips passed the walls of the castle and offers her skills to those who are in suffering.

When a new guard named Hawke is assigned to her protective detail, she begins to question her role as The Maiden. He challenges her assumptions, questions her role as the Maiden and her strong physical attraction to him threatens her worthiness to be The Maiden. Suddenly everything she thought she knew about herself, and the kingdom that she is to help transform are in question. Who is Hawke? Can she trust him? What does he want from her? As she tries to answer those questions, she begins to unravel the mystery of who she is and her real life purpose.

Sexy, engaging, with lots of fun, snarky dialogue, Armentrout has created in Poppy, a feisty heroine who knows her own mind. Hawke faces a moral dilemma as he finds himself caught between his love for Poppy and his true purpose in getting close to her. The supporting characters are equally important and add depth to the plot and our understanding of the world they inhabit. This was a fascinating and engaging series!

The books in order are as follows: From Blood and Ash, The Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, Crown of Gilded Bones, War of Two Queens, The Soul of Ash and Blood, and the last book in the series coming out in September of this year is The Primal of Blood and Bone. Enjoy!

Benda’s Rating: **** (4 Out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Lauren and Marian

Book Study Worthy? Yes, as long as everyone like fantasy!

Read in e-book/e-library format

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Series, Suspense, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment