Stay Close

I very much enjoyed this murder mystery Stay Close by Harlan Coben which is set in Atlantic City.  Suburban mum, Megan, has a "past" as a pole dancer in a bar in Atlantic City.  She revisits the bar for old time's sake and becomes involved in the mysterious disappearance of a man she was involved with 17 years previously.  At that time she also had a boyfriend and when each found the apparently deceased victim, they thought the other might have killed him, so they both ran away that night separately and began new lives.  Detective Broome has been trying to solve the case since it happened and then another victim disappears who attended the same bar.  Megan seems to have opened a "can of worms" which has been hidden from her family.  As Detective Broome continues his investigation, it seems a serial killer has been at work.  A gripping page-turner. 41/2/5

Religion for Atheists

This philosophical book Religion for Atheists by Alain de Botton was very interesting and thought-provoking.  The author's argument is that in their zeal to deny religion, atheists have failed to see the secular world has much to learn from religion without taking on board the religion itself.  De Botton focuses on Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism demonstrating the facets of these religions that atheists need to make their lives fulfilling.  For example, we all need places of contemplation.  For most religious people that can be in a church or temple.  It can also be anywhere, such as a beautiful place in a forest.  De Botton points out that many corporations have learned lessons from religion citing the example of the Catholic Church and its rituals which are little different from McDonalds as consistency across the Church and McDonalds is very important. He says art galleries and museums should be arranged in themes that fuel the soul rather than the period they represent.  Also universities should be teaching students how to live well rather than concentrating on unimportant facts.  This is a book for all religions as well as those who don't subscribe to a particular religion. 4/5

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

I enjoyed Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday.  A Yemeni Sheikh has the dream and the money to attempt to have salmon introduced to Yemen.  A British scientist, Fred Jones, is persuaded to provide the expertise to make it happen.  The story is told in an unusual style - diary entries, Hansard, interrogation transcripts, newspaper reports, and emails. Fred is married to a very ambitious woman, Mary, and that marriage becomes strained as Mary pursues her career and has little time to know about Fred's project.  The project manager, Harriet, has her own personal problems with her soldier fiance in Iraq.  Fred is gradually persuaded by the enthusiasm of the Sheikh and Harriet that the project may be feasible.  The Prime Minister's office is after a good news story after first disowning the project.  The reader begins to get a sense of how the story might end, particularly with the interrogation chapters.  Very clever writing. 4/5

The Laughing Clowns

I enjoyed this very "nice" story The Laughing Clowns by William McInnes.  He is a very good writer with wit and humour, and emphasis the importance of "family".  Peter Kennedy lives in Melbourne with his wife and three children.  He is asked to go to his childhood town near Brisbane to secretly assess the potential for development of the local showgrounds.  Peter stays with his parents and meets up with his sister and brother and their partners, as well as some old school friends.  He sees how much the town has changed, but still has a strong sense of community.  He learns more about his father and how he memorialised his lost mates in the Korean War.  A lovely story. 31/2/5

The New Republic

I very much enjoyed this clever story The New Republic by Lionel Shriver.  The author first tried to publish this in 1998 but stories about terrorism were then deemed to be "ho hum".  9/11 changed all that though some might find the book in poor taste.  Edgar Kellogg a wannabe journalist is sent to the Barban peninsula to report on the province's fight for independence from Portugal.  Kellogg takes the place of a larger than life character, Barrington Saddler, who has suddenly disappeared.  He is greatly missed by the other journalists staying in this "backwater" to report on the Barban terrorist activities.  Edgar gradually learns more about Saddler and his connection to the terrorists and that is where the reader discovers the interesting "twist" to this satirical story.  Well-written and very clever plot. 41/2/5

Poet's Cottage

I enjoyed Poet's Cottage by Josephine Pennicott which is a murder mystery set in Tasmania.  Divorcee Sadie and her teenage daughter Betty return to live at the ancestral home, Poet's Cottage, to start a new life.  The house has a dark past as Sadie's grandmother Pearl was brutally murdered in the basement in the 1930s.  Pearl was a children's writer who enjoyed shocking the locals with her less than conservative antics.  She was a "free spirit" and spread her love around, despite being married with two young girls.  Sadie and Betty begin to notice strange things happening in the house and Sadie is determined to discover the truth about her grandmother's murder.  It is quite a good read to pass the time. 31/2/5

Me Before You

I very much enjoyed this romantic story Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  Louisa Clark has lost her job at a bakery in a small English town and is desperate to find another position.  She gets a job as a companion to a wealthy quadriplegic, Will Traynor, for a six month contract.  The position has been arranged by Will's mother and Will has a carer to attend to his "personal needs".  At first the relationship between Will and Louisa is strained, but that changes.  Will became a quadriplegic as a result of a traffic accident two years previously and has become withdrawn.  Early into Louisa's contract, she learns the true reason for her employment and she becomes more involved in finding excursions that she can take Will on.  She discovers the difficulties in taking a quadriplegic anywhere.  The rest of the story I will leave you to discover for yourself, so as not to be a "spoiler". 5/5