The Forgotten Waltz

I read The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright which is about a young married woman, Gina, who has an affair with a married man.  The story is told by Gina and she anguishes over the whole thing.  The affair is a secret for a long time until discovered, with the usual repercussions.  She and her lover Sean are particularly  mindful of the effect on Sean's daughter Evie.  Well written but I didn't like the story, a bit boring. 3/5

Unnatural Habits

I very much enjoyed Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood which was a "Miss Fisher mystery".  I've enjoyed the ABC1 television series "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries", but had not read any of the books till now.  It was published in 2012 so the characters are well established and I like Miss Phryne Fisher very much - a very classy lady who can mix with people from any background.  In this story she investigates the disappearance of three heavily pregnant teenagers last seen at a place where they were to give birth to their babies after working in the laundry of a convent.  Miss Fisher is appalled by the treatment of these girls.  Also missing is a young female reporter who was investigating the disappearance of young blonde girls.  The story is well-written and having watched the TV series, the characters really come to life as I read. 4/5

Prague Fatale

I very much enjoyed Prague Fatale by Philip Kerr which is set in Berlin and Prague during World War II.  Detective Bernie Gunther is called upon to investigate a murder in a stately home occupied by a Nazi General in Prague.  The General is also trying to discover the identity of Czech "terrorists" who have been sabotaging German targets and killing German soldiers.  Bernie is not pleased to be summoned by the General whom he intensely dislikes.  Bernie is not a Nazi but has participated in atrocities in the East for which he is very ashamed.  He does not try to hide his disdain for the Nazis.  The murder is intriguing - the classic killed behind a door locked on the inside.  Bernie takes his new girlfriend Arianne to Prague with him, with unforeseen consequences.  He solves the murder and the other aspects are also resolved.  The story is based on many real people and the author tells us of their fate. 4/5

Albert of Adelaide

Albert of Adelaide by Howard L. Anderson is a fairly good read.  Albert is a platypus who escapes from Adelaide Zoo and makes his way north to find the "real" Australia where he meets some interesting characters like Jack the wombat and Muldoon the Tasmanian Devil.  They have deadly encounters with bands of kangaroos, bandicoots and dingoes.  It is a sort of "Wind in the Willows" story.  The characters are dressed, carry weapons and like a drink (alcoholic).  Albert ends up on a "Wanted" poster and various groups do their best to capture him.  More a young person's book. 3/5

The Chalk Girl

I very much enjoyed this thriller The Chalk Girl by Carol O'Connell.  Detective Kathy Mallory investigates unusual murders in New York's Central Park.  She discovers they are linked to murders in the park 15 years earlier.  There is a little girl, Coco, who is a witness to the latest murder.  She is a very unusual girl who has Williams Syndrome and becomes very attached to Mallory.  Each chapter is prefaced by an excerpt from a diary written by a boy who is being bullied at his school.  As the story progresses the reader learns more about the boy and his connection with the current murders.  The school he attended is run by a wealthy woman who goes to great lengths to ensure her income stream, through corruption and greed.  The chilling story finally unravels as Mallory and her partner Riker discover the awful truth.  A real "page-turner". 4/5

Abandoned Women

This was an interesting history Abandoned Women by Lucy Frost which traced a number of Scottish female convicts who arrived in Van Diemen's Land (later Tasmania) in 1838.  The author who now lives in Tasmania travelled to Scotland to see the original records of these women to learn the reason for their exile "beyond the seas."  She then describes their early life in Hobart Town and for those she was able to follow, their fate beyond their lives as convicts.  They varied in age.  Most of them were impoverished living in the squalor of Scottish cities making their living as best they could - mainly through prostitution and theft.  Some died fairly soon after their arrival.  Some had babies while imprisoned and the description of their treatment in these circumstances in heart-rending.  Some of the women continue their criminal lives while others saw the new land as an opportunity for a fresh start.  For those interested in Australian convict history, this is a good example of how they lived their lives. 3/5

November Book Club

 We enjoyed our November meeting with our hostess providing some "Christmas" goodies, including the wickedly delicious Christmas Bark (chocolate, cranberries & pistachios).  We've got some great new books to read and we welcomed a new member.  Next month we'll have a Christmas outing.

The Snow Child

I very much enjoyed reading this beautiful debut novel The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey which is set in Alaska in the 1920s.  Jack and Mabel are a middle-aged couple who are attracted to this frontier area.  They have a tragic past from which they may be trying to "escape".  With the first snow, they build a "snow girl" and dress her with a blue coat.  The following day the "snow girl" is destroyed and the clothes gone.  They start to see a young girl around their homestead and over time the girl, Faina, wearing the blue coat overcomes her timidity and befriends the couple.  She is a child of the snow and the forest and can take care of herself.  Over the years, she is persuaded to spend more time in "civilization" and then things get complicated.  The author took her inspiration from a Russian folk tale of a middle-aged couple who build a "snow girl" who comes to life, but when betrayed, disappears.  This is very well written - just lovely. 5/5