Recipe for Life

This story Recipe for Life by Nicky Pellegrino was a pleasant read dealing with two young Englishwomen, Alice and Leila. As is expected from the title, food plays a major part in this story. It is told from two perspectives - Alice tells her story in the first person and in Italy an older woman, Babetta, has her story told in third person, chapter by chapter. Alice and Leila go to a little village in Italy and it is there the two stories are intertwined. Alice can't seem to decide for herself how her life will play out and tends to take the "easy" way, letting others decide for her. The years go by and eventually Alice makes her own decisions. This was a "nice" romantic story, with the village itself as an important character. A rainy day book. 31/2/5

Nemesis

I very much enjoyed Nemesis by Jo Nesbo (even though I read it out of order). It is the second part of a trilogy - The Redbreast, Nemesis and The Devil's Star. They can be read independently, but there is a thread running through them which is finally resolved in the third book, so I recommend you read them in order. Harry Hole investigates the apparent suicide of an ex-girlfriend - was she murdered? The other investigation relates to an armed bank robbery where a female teller is murdered. This turns out not to be a simple investigation either. 4/5

The Long Song

I enjoyed The Long Song by Andrea Levy which is a fictional account of the life of a female slave in Jamaica in the 19th century. July as an old woman has been asked by her son to write an account of her life which she tells us in the first and third person. She is born into slavery and later in life the slaves are freed. The book is well researched to give a true account of life in those times and it is well told. 4/5

Mortal Remains

I've read Mortal Remains by Kathy Reichs which I didn't like very much. The author writes with authority as a forensic anthropologist. The main character, Tempe Brennan, tells the story in the first person and I find her very irritating. This book centers on the work of JPAC, the Joint Pow/MIA Accounting Command whose job is to locate American POWs and to recover remains of those who died in past conflicts. The reader learns more about this work at the end of the book. It was interesting that 78,000 Americans remain missing from WWII. Reichs should be commended for raising awareness of this work. The story begins with the strange death of a man who is identified as someone already dead (in Vietnam) and buried (back in USA) 40 years before. Brennan investigates this anomaly and discovers more misidentifications that have occurred with the same incident. She and her "friend" Ryan take their respective daughters to Hawaii to continue the investigation and have some down time. It gets more complicated before the truth emerges. JPAC's motto is "Until They Are Home" and their work will probably never be completed. 3/5

Three Seconds

This thrilling suspense story Three Seconds by Roslund and Hellstrom (Swedish authors) was very good. Piet Hoffmann is recruited by the Swedish police to infiltrate a Polish mafia drug ring. His criminal backgrounds is enhanced to make him seem more dangerous and therefore acceptable to the drug ring. He's connected to a murder early in the story which is investigated by Ewert Grens who knows nothing about Hoffmann. Grens is persistent in his pursuit of the murderer and when it seems he may jeopardise the drug ring operation, steps are taken. This is a fast paced thriller (however it has a slow start) which requires concentration and the reader is well rewarded. Highly recommended 41/2/5

Last book club for 2010

Last night we had our final Wine & Giggles Book Club for 2010 - the year has gone by so quickly. We were all there and enjoyed a lovely evening of chatting, sipping champagne, eating delicious goodies, lots of giggles. I've got a lot of great books to read before our next meeting in 2011. Have a terrific Christmas and New Year and hope 2011 with be fantastic!

The Villa Triste

I very much enjoyed The Villa Triste by Lucretia Grindle. For me it was a book to savour, don't read too quickly, stretch out the reading pleasure. It was one of those rare books where I couldn't wait to get to the end, but was sad when it was over. It is set in Florence where former Italian partisans have been murdered. Senior policeman, Pallioti, investigates and finds at the crime scene a WWII journal which was written by a former female partisan, Caterina. As we read the journal while also reading about the investigation, we learn about connections between the two time periods. This is very well written, highly recommended. 5/5

Crime Book Club Christmas Lunch

Myself and the other ladies in our Crime Book Club had lunch at our local shopping centre yesterday. The meals were nice and a little bottle of champagne went down well. Later we had coffee and cake. The weather is still awful. We've had enough rain now, bring back the sunshine! Anyway, we all had a good time.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

I've enjoyed this unusual story Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. Lindsay's books have been turned into a popular TV series. Dexter is a psychopathic serial killer who is also a police forensic expert. The story is told in the first person so the reader has an insight into how he thinks. He confesses to having no "normal" human feelings. In this book he is fascinated by the work of a serial killer being investigated by the police. He has some gruesome encounters with the killer and his victims. The story finishes with a startling finale which then gives room for the series to continue. 4/5

Trick of the Dark

This thriller Trick of the Dark by Val McDermid was a little disappointing as I normally enjoy her work. Psychiatrist Charlotte (Charlie) Flint is asked to investigate a series of murders by one person. We are kept guessing until nearly the end before we discover the truth about the murders - and that's good. All the main characters are lesbians, but I question whether that was necessary to progress the story or did the author merely want a stage for them. If one or two were lesbians that wouldn't be an issue for me, but for all of the main characters to be gay was overdone. Parts of the story seem contrived to further this aspect and that made the story less credible than it might have been. (I was interested to read an Amazon review by a lesbian who agreed). 31/2/5

How To Paint a Dead Man

I've finished How To Paint A Dead Man by Sarah Hall and wonder what it was all about. There are four threads to the story with each chapter progressing a different thread in turn and covers about 40 years. I found this writing style mystifying at first then frustrating but stuck with it thinking it would all come together at the end, explaining all, but that didn't happen. A family of artists deal with grief. An Italian family has a beautiful daughter going blind, an artist is trapped on a hill, and an elderly artist is dying of cancer. The reader can pick up connections between the threads but not enough is explained. Perhaps author is trying to be too clever and only appeal to the discerning reader. Not for everyone and I would not recommend it. 3/5

And Furthermore

I've read And Furthermore by Judi Dench which is an autobiography mainly covering her career on stage and screen. She is an actress (no I won't use the word "actor") I've admired and it was interesting to learn more about her and the many parts she has played with the cream of British acting talent. The book is not a"tell all" and we learn very little about her private life (which she says is private). It has many photographs through the book which celebrate her acting depth. 31/2/5

Brave New World

This classic book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley was originally published in 1932. The edition I've just read was published in 2007 with interesting introductions and an "update" by Huxley dated 1946. The story is set in a future where babies are "manufactured" in accordance with the work they will do in their society, a caste system. The embryos have additives inserted to determine how advanced their brains and physique will be. The highest caste, the Alphas, will lead a relatively "normal" life with every indulgence to keep them happy. The lowest, the Epsilons, will do the most menial jobs and be happy in that role. Those who question the way the society functions (and it is only the higher castes who have the brain power to do that) can be exiled to maintain the status quo. There are places, reservations, where humans live in a "native" or "savage" state. What happens when one of these "savages" is brought into the "real world"? A culture shock. Very interesting and thought provoking. 41/2/5

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

I really enjoyed Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson which is set in a lovely little village in England. When his brother dies, widowed Major Pettigrew ponders his own mortality and reassesses what is important. He falls in love with a widow and their romance encounters obstacles along the way - race, class, religion, family. Major Pettigrew is a wonderful character with great integrity and he shows up some of the ridiculous aspects of the English "upper classes". Delightful. 4/5

Lovesong

I've enjoyed reading Lovesong by Alex Miller. It's a poignant tale of love and anguish. A young Australian man, John, meets a Tunisian woman, Sabiha, in Paris and they marry. Many years later they come to Australia and John meets an author and tells him his story over some time. It is a good way of telling the story. Sabiha yearned to have a daughter and she takes desperate measures to ensure that happens. It is a lovely love story. 4/5

The Children's Book

I've read The Children's Book by A. S. Byatt which follows the lives of four families in England from about 1885 to 1919. This was not an "easy" read. At times I found it difficult to follow which children belonged to which families. A little genealogy chart at the start of the book for each family would have been useful. It was also difficult to get into the story, but I persisted. There was a lot of side information about various issues to put the families and their stories into context. Sometimes that was interesting, others not. It is quite a thick paperback with small writing so a big challenge. Parts of it were very good. 31/2/5

The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag

I've read The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley which was set in England in the early 1950s. The story is told the first person by 11 year old Flavia de Luce a precocious girl with a fascination for poisons and death. She investigates the murder of a puppet man when he comes to the village. It's a good story if you can suspend belief that an 11 year old could behave this way. She is a great character with intelligence, wit, imagination and humour. Enjoy the ride (or read)! 31/2/5

Mornings in Jenin

This fictional story Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa is based on the events following the displacement of Palestinians and the establishment of Israel in 1948. Most of the story is told in the first person by Amal as she is born in the early 1950s and lives most of her life under the real threat of dying in the Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin as Israel increases its occupation of the land with subsequent wars. This is an important story, however, parts of the book descends into mawkish sentimentality, particularly with the love stories. The author has let down her subject, in which she has a personal interest, which makes it all the more disappointing. We need to know more about the plight of the Palestinians and understand that the Israeli side of the story is not always "right". I will still recommend reading this book to get the Palestinian perspective. We can only hope that a solution to this situation will come soon and all will live in peace. 31/2/5

The Gallipoli Letter

The Gallipoli Letter was written by Keith Murdoch in 1915. The letter was addressed to Prime Minister Andrew Fisher. Murdoch was a journalist and friend of Fisher and Murdoch was asked to tell Fisher what was really happening with the Australian soldiers at Gallipoli. The introduction in the book gives comprehensive information about the campaign, which puts the letter in context. The soldiers were under the control of the British. Fisher was excluded and received little "official" information. Anyone, like me, with an interest in this historical event will want to read this. 31/2/5

October Book Club

We had a lovely evening last night at Robyn's place. Everyone was there except Liz who can't tear herself away from her new beautiful granddaughter. We enjoyed a good chat about everything, even books. Robyn got some good books for us to enjoy and we had a delicious supper.

The Twin

The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker is a poignant story, set in the Netherlands. Helmer is running his family farm which was meant for his twin brother Henk, who died young 40 years ago. Helmer's father is now dying and Helmer looks back on a life that might have been had he been able to escape the farm. The reader feels the bleak atmosphere that pervades Helmer's life as he lives through each day, not doing what he wanted to do. A teenage boy is sent to "find himself" at Helmer's farm by a former girlfriend of his twin brother and this changes the dynamic of the household. A finely written and moving story but filled with a sadness for a life of regret. 31/2/5

The Secret Scripture

I very much enjoyed The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry. Set in Ireland, a psychiatric hospital is closing down the doctor in charge, Dr Grene, has to assess the patients to determine where they will go. One of those patients is a 100 year old woman, Roseanne McNulty (nee Clear). Dr Grene is unable to find the documentation that explains why Roseanne is there. The story is told in the first person, in the form of a journal, by both characters - Dr Grene and Roseanne. So the reader sometimes gets two versions of past events. Roseanne hides her journal and Dr Grene uses his to try and make sense of the events of his life and discover more about Roseanne. The reader learns about the tumultuous history of Ireland during Roseanne's life. Eventually the reader, then Dr Grene, discovers the truth about Roseanne's life and the reason she was admitted to an asylum at a young age. Highly recommended. 41/2/5

Blue eyed Boy

This intriguing story Blue eyed Boy by Joanne Harris was a very good read. The story is told using posts in an online chat room. The reader is not sure if the posts reflect reality or fiction. A man whose online alias is "blueeyedboy" and a female "Albertine" post their stories. Are they discussing events that actually happened - or not? Who are they really? The ending was great - totally unexpected. 4/5

In the Sanctuary of Outcasts

This memoir In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White tells of the his experiences as an inmate in an American federal prison which also served as the country's national leprosarium. Neil gets to know some of the lepers and becomes fond of them, even though they are supposed to be segregated. This prison at Carville on the Mississippi River has housed lepers for over 100 years. At first the prison was a huge culture shock to the author as he had lived a lavish lifestyle on other people's money and by his own admission had let down a lot of people when it all came crashing down. His prison term is a journey of self-discovery as he learns many lessons about life from people he would have least expected to learn from. He tells us some of the history of the disease and how those afflicted were treated by society. Carville is now a museum - see web site. Very interesting read. 4/5

A Simpler Time

I very much enjoyed A Simpler Time by Peter FitzSimons. I've read some of his biographies and was very pleased to read this book about his own early life. He was the youngest of seven in a loving family who farmed near Gosford. He always researches his books well and he was fortunate to have to have a lot of primary sources in the form of letters and other material to write his memoir. It is a beautiful story, highly recommended. 4/5

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

I very much enjoyed The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery ,set in an old apartment building in Paris. The two main characters, Renee Michel, the building concierge, and Palome Josse, a precocious 12 year old girl, tell their stories in the first person, in different fonts. They are very similar characters as they try to hide their intelligence. When the owner of one of the apartments dies, it is sold - a rare event as they are usually passed to another family member. The new owner is a perceptive and intelligent Japanese man, Kakuro Ozu who changes the lives of Renee and Palome. The book has a slow start and the characters seem at first to be arrogant and pretentious - but please persevere. A beautiful and well-written book. 4/5.

Cold Justice

I enjoyed Cold Justice by Katherine Howell, set in Sydney. Starts out with two story threads which are connected by the reopening of an investigation into the murder of a teenage boy, Tim Pieters, 19 years before. A female detective, Ella Marconi, is on the case. In the other thread Georgie Riley, a paramedic, comes down from the country for a reassessment of skills and is paired with Freya, her schoolfriend who left school suddenly after Tim's death. Tim's cousin, a doctor and MP has pushed for the case to be reopened. When the two threads come together, we learn of the connection and that there are secrets and lies which are resurfacing after 19 years until the truth and murderer is finally revealed. Recommended. 4/5

Serena

I enjoyed Serena by Ron Rash which is set in North Carolina in the 1930s. Serena marries Pemberton, a timber company owner who is cutting down the forests. There is some tension at the time between the timber industry and national parks (what's new!). Serena is ruthlessly ambitious in the pursuit of her goals. When she loses her baby she sets out to have the baby Pemberton fathered with another woman prior to their marriage killed. Serena is a powerful and confident woman - maybe a bit incredible? It was interesting to learn about the timber industry generally and the dangers to the workers. Recommended. 4/5

Black Water Rising

I very much enjoyed Black Water Rising by Attica Locke, a debut author. It is set in Houston, Texas in 1981. A young black lawyer, Jay Porter, witnesses a killing and then becomes entangled with the people involved with that killing. As Jay investigates, he discovers there is a far larger crime with a lot at stake. Jay and his wife's lives are threatened as he refuses to walk away from it. This is a gripping tale, with reminders of the differences in everyday life that have occurred since that time. 41/2/5

Wanting

This is a very good story Wanting by Richard Flanagan, though a bit depressing. Set in 19th century in Tasmania and in England, two stories with a small connection. Lady Franklin, the wife of Tasmanian Governor Sir John Franklin, takes in a beautiful little Aboriginal girl, Mathinna. Lady Franklin denies herself the pleasure of loving her (she has no children of her own) and eventually returns to England leaving Mathinna behind. The other story set years later has Charles Dickens writing a play to counter the accusation Sir John Franklin's crew resorted to cannibalism after their ship was stuck in ice in the Arctic, and before they died. Dickens plays a character in the play and falls in love with an actress, though tries to hide it. The author says the book is "a meditation on desire" and its potency in human affairs. Recommended. 4/5

The Wives of Henry Oades

I enjoyed The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran which is based on a true story set in late 19th century. Henry Oades and his family move to New Zealand. Henry's family is abducted by Maori and are presumed dead. Years later Henry moves to California and eventually remarries, then his "first" family arrives causing major complications. The author weaves a plausible story of how the two families come together, particularly the two wives. An interesting scenario which makes the reader wonder how they would react if faced with a similar situation. A great effort from first time author. 4/5

Await Your Reply

This intriguing and clever story Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon was very good. There are three story threads which appear to be unconnected as the some characters have multiple identities. The story begins with a shocking scene and the reader is led on a long path with the different characters until the final revelation. The plots are cleverly drawn together. 4/5

Thereby Hangs A Tail

Thereby Hangs A Tail by Spencer Quinn is a detective story which is different. The story is told in the first person by Chet, the dog belonging to private detective Bernie Little. Chet and Bernie are assigned to investigate the disappearance of a "show dog" and her owner. Chet has many adventures along the way before finally helping Bernie solve the crime. 3/5

The Hand That First Held Mine

The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell was an intriguing story set in London in two time periods. In the present time a young couple, Ted and Elina, take their new baby home which triggers Ted having flashbacks to his own childhood, which he is having trouble understanding. The other story set in the 1960s is about the life and loves of Lexie Sinclair. The two threads run concurrently with each chapter switching from one to the other and appear to have no connection at first but the reader is gradually given clues to the connection which is then finally resolved. A terrific story. 4/5

Remembering Me

I quite enjoyed Remembering Me by Diane Chamberlain. It was first published in 1999 and this is the 2010 edition. It is a mysterious and intriguing story which has at its heart, the maltreatment of the mentally ill in the 1960s. Laura Brandon's father begs her on his death bed to look after an elderly woman in a nursing home. She has no clue as to the connection this woman has with her father. Then Laura's husband commits suicide, severely traumatising Laura's five year old daughter who was in the house at the time. Laura visits the old woman, Sarah, and becomes caught up in the story of her life as a psychiatric nurse in the 1960s and the maltreatment of patients in the hospital where she worked. The mystery of Sarah's relationship with Laura's father and others is finally revealed and surprises those involved - far fetched? Maybe, but a good story, real page-turner! 4/5

The House Across the Road

This soapy saga The House Across the Road by Ann Whitehead was set in a rural Australian town, starting in the mid 1960s. The story covers two generations. Teenager Abbie has a relationship with an older man and the consequences are not always happy ones. Abbie has a difficult time with her mother-in-law and also with the man she marries. This carries on to the next generation to affect her daughter Claire. Not recommended - unless you like this sort of thing. 3/5

The Italian Wedding

I very much enjoyed The Italian Wedding by Nicky Pellegrino. The love story of two generations of a family. The father, Beppi, came from Italy to London with his English wife many years ago. Now his daughters have their own romantic lives and at the same dealing with a feud their father has had with a man who was once his childhood friend. A very "nice" book. 4/5

August Book Club

I hosted book club this month and had a good time. I did the baking myself and with Terry's help got it all organised. All the ladies came, bar one who was away visiting her Mum. We enjoyed each other's company, had some champagne, nibbles and later tea and coffee with my baking efforts. Unfortunately, the only "fly in the ointment" was that only two of the books I'd bought arrived in time, the others were ordered from overseas and haven't got here yet - very disappointing, but I'll look forward to getting them soon, I hope.