Maine

I very much enjoyed Maine by Courtney Sullivan which follows the lives of four related women who holiday in Maine each summer.  Each chapter is headed by the name of the character from whose perspective the story will be told in that chapter and it is interesting how they view themselves and the other characters.  Alice is the oldest, in her eighties, and the widowed matriarch of the family.  She carries a heavy guilt concerning  the death of her sister.  Kathleen is Alice's daughter and is estranged from most of the family and now lives on the other side of the country.  She returns to the east when her daughter Maggie needs her.  Another character is Ann Marie, Alice's daughter-in-law, who considers herself a better daughter to Alice than her biological daughters.  The family have taken their holiday home for granted for years but that changes as the story develops.  A fascinating look at lives and relationships. 4/5

Wonder Girls

I enjoyed Wonder Girls by Catherine Jones which is set in both 1920s and 2009.  The characters are fictitious and one of them, Ida, swims the hazardous Bristol Channel in the 1920s when aged 16.  She and her best friend Freda decide to leave their small "gossipy" town to live in "the big smoke", London.  Freda forges a successful career as a nurse, then midwife while Ida eventually is successful in advertising but marries a philandering newspaper man.  Regrettably, Ida and Freda drift apart until a tragedy forces them together.  Meanwhile, in 2009, Ceci, aged in her 80s, is mourning the death of her "companion" Freda and wishes she had been told more about her past before they met 60 years before.  Ceci meets a young woman Sarah who is going through a "bad patch" with her marriage.  Sarah encourages Ceci to find out more about the people who left her and Freda many years before.  There is a mystery to be uncovered about what happened to Ida, which makes a good story. 31/2/5

Cutting for Stone

I thoroughly enjoyed Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, a fictional work narrated by Marion Stone who was born and raised with his identical twin brother, Shiva, in Ethiopia.  The story begins with the twins' traumatic birth; traumatic for them and all those around them.  Marion describes the circumstances of the birth in 1954 at a "mission" hospital and he spends much of his life learning about his birth parents after he and Shiva are adopted by two people who love them completely.  The story is set against the background of the changing political landscape in Ethiopia.  Marion and Shiva's adoptive parents are doctors who instil in the boys a love of medicine which they take in to adulthood.  This is a beautifully written book with attention to detail that demonstrates the level of research undertaken by the author.  The story is a rich tapestry of the characters' lives woven together to make this a truly great novel. 5/5

The Good Father

I enjoyed The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain.  There are three main characters, Travis, Erin and Robin and each chapter shows the perspective of the story from one of them.  They each have their own story with two of them, Travis and Robin, connected by Travis' toddler daughter, Bella. Erin is at first not connected and has a sad recent past before she becomes involved in Travis' life.  Travis is a single father, down on his luck and trying to provide for himself and his daughter.  As a last resort he is drawn in to something he would otherwise not be involved with and that sets off a chain of events.  Robin has a "past" and is looking forward to her marriage to mayoral candidate Dale who comes from a wealthy well-known family.  She starts to question her place in that family.  The reader is led on a suspenseful ride hoping there will be a good outcome for everyone, but will that happen?  4/5

The Conjuror's Bird

I enjoyed The Conjuror's Bird by Martin Davies which is set in two time periods - the present and the late 18th century.  The story is written against the background of Sir Joseph Banks' voyage to the South Seas with James Cook.  In the "present" there is a mystery which scientist John Fitzgerald has been trying to solve for some years with his research - the location of a stuffed specimen of an extinct bird which was found in the South Seas and given to Banks.  There are collectors who want to find it because of its rarity.  In the Joseph Banks period of the story, there is an "unsuitable" romance which produces a daughter.  With alternate chapters relating to the two different time periods (also written in different fonts) the reader becomes more involved in the mystery and also the fate of the lovers.  Very intriguing and sent me searching for more information about Banks. 4/5

Shallow Breath

I read Shallow Breath by Sara Foster which is set mainly on the coast of Western Australia.  The story is told by a different character and time period with each chapter.  The chapter is headed by the character's name but until you start reading you're not sure which time period as it is  not chronological.  They are all important characters so can't really point to a "main" one, though Desi is really at the centre and the other characters have some relationship to her.  There is a mystery about Desi and the reason she has been in prison.  Secrets are gradually uncovered.  Most importantly the story is told against the background of endangered species and their horrific plight.  The author tells about the slaughter of dolphins, sharks, elephants and orangutans, cleverly weaving their story within the story of Desi and her family. 31/2/5

The Promise

I very much enjoyed The Promise by Ann Weisgarber which is a love story set around a devastating hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas in September 1900.  Living in Ohio, Catherine Wainwright is an accomplished concert pianist who has an illicit affair with a married man which causes a scandal.  She is ostracised by her friends and family and no longer able to earn a living.  Finally realising her affair holds no future for her she tries to find an alternative.  She remembers a childhood friend, Oscar, who moved to Galveston some years ago and she resumes a correspondence with him.  Oscar has been recently widowed and left with a 4 year old son, Andre.  A local woman, Nan, who was a great friend of Oscar's wife made her a promise that she would always look after Andre.  Catherine travels to Galveston and events unfold from there.  Each chapter is told in the first person by either Nan or Catherine, so the reader sees each perspective. The reader lives through the terror of the storm with the realistic depiction and the suspense of waiting to see who survives. This is beautifully written  41/2/5

What Have I Done?

I read this horror story What Have I Done by Amanda Prowse.  There is no question of "whodunnit" in this book.  The reader learns immediately who the killer is but the full story unfolds gradually.    Kathryn Brooker has a seemingly content upper middle class life with her charming school headmaster husband and her teenage son and daughter.  Her children are her whole life and her reason for enduring the horrific abuse meted out by her husband.  The story is told in retrospect, looking back over different time periods, the first and earliest being "Ten years ago" as the story unfolds until "Today".  The author has dedicated her book to women in controlling and abusive relationships.  Kathryn is a well-drawn character and there will be discussion about her actions, or non-actions both before and after the crime is committed, or whether the crime needed to be committed at all.  This is our first Crime Club book for 2014 and I look forward to talking about it. 41/2/5

Blue Blood

I enjoyed Blue Blood by Sara Blaedel (in USA title is Call Me Princess) which is a story of a brutal serial rapist, set in Copenhagen.  Detective Inspector Louise Rick investigates the crimes which left the victims severely traumatised.  They met their assailant at an on-line dating site and he was very hard to identify with false name, no photo, so makes DI Rick's job very difficult.  As well, DI Rick has her own personal issues to deal with.  Will she eventually "get her man"?  31/2/5

All the Birds, Singing

I enjoyed All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld which has an unusual structure.  The story is written in the first person by Jake Whyte, a young woman who has bought a small sheep farm on a British island and wants to be left alone.  Her sheep are being attacked and she is puzzled by the wounds inflicted.  She later finds a man sleeping in her barn taking shelter and the story continues about their relationship and her life on the island.  Jake has a mysterious past and in the alternate chapters we learn about that past in reverse.  Each alternate chapter takes the reader further back in time till we learn about the terrible secret which has brought her so far from her home in Australia. 31/2/5

Police

I very much enjoyed Police by Jo Nesbo just as I enjoy all his books.  This is a follow up to the previous book Phantom and we learn what happened to the characters involved in that one, particularly about Harry Hole's fate.  In this story police who were involved in unsolved crimes are being murdered and the police are desperate to find the killer.  The new Chief of Police Mikael Bellman is embarrassed at the length of time it is taking to solve the murders.  A small task force is formed to find a motive for the killings and Harry is asked to join them.  The body count rises and the murders are quite graphic.  There are many twists and turns, red herrings and mystery to keep the reader wondering what will happen next. 41/2/5

November 2013 Book Club

We had a very enjoyable book club meeting last Monday evening.  We
were all there minus one member who had visitors from overseas.  One of our ladies had recently returned from visiting family in Zimbabwe and told us about life there.  We are very lucky to be in Australia.  Our hostess bought some great new books for us to enjoy.  As we won't be meeting again till February, we all grabbed many books to devour until then so there would not be a reading drought.  Our hostess provided a delicious supper including a dark chocolate cake served with raspberry sauce and cream.  Every mouthful was such a treat.  Next month we will go out to celebrate the end of the year which always seems to come too soon.

The Other Child

I very much enjoyed this psychological thriller The Other Child by Charlotte Link (originally written in German). A murder is committed in a seaside English town and is investigated by Detective Valerie Almond.  The main characters are gradually introduced.  Gwen, a frumpy woman in her 30s, is doing a course to improve her self-confidence and meets a suave good-looking man, Dave, who asks her to marry him.  His motives for marriage are suspect and Gwen's friends are keen to warn her against him but are reluctant to hurt her feelings.  Her father Chad is withdrawn and his long time friend Fiona is concerned about the pending marriage.  Chad and Fiona have known each other since World War II and they share a terrible secret.  Events take a tragic turn and the reader is kept in suspense as the truth about the events during and after World War II then clash with the current time. This is a real page-turner as the reader anxiously waits for events to unfold and learn the truth. 5/5

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

I very much enjoyed Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt which I was surprised to learn is a "true crime classic", written in 1994.  The main story is about the alleged murder of a young man, Danny Hansford, by an older man with whom he lived, Jim Williams.  The crime takes place in the town of Savannah in Georgia, USA.  Savannah is relatively isolated from other cities in the region and had developed an inward-looking culture with little tolerance for "outsiders".  The story has many eccentric and colourful characters which provide a picture of the community.  The story of the murder and the legal case that follows is so bizarre that it is truly one of those cases where fact is stranger than fiction, and it is told brilliantly. 41/2/5

And the Mountains Echoed

I enjoyed And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini another of his novels set in Afghanistan.  It is a different style to his earlier stories.  It begins in the early 1950s when a father, experiencing poverty decides to give away his very young daughter, Pari, for money to a wealthy woman who cannot have children.  This leaves Pari's brother Abdullah heartbroken and casts a heavy pall on the family.  Each part of the story is told by several characters, usually in the first person and the reader learns about those individual lives and how they intersect.  The story continues almost to the present day as we learn the fate of all the characters.  The history of the country itself is also a character as we learn about the tragedy that plagues Afghanistan and the remarkable resilience of those who remain.  Hosseini is a great storyteller. 41/2/5

Home

I read Home by Toni Morrison which is a very dark tale about an African-American Korean War veteran, Frank Money, who returns home to rescue his sister from a terrible situation.  Frank and his family were driven from their home in the 1930s and were scratching out a living when Frank and his close friends went to war.  The reader learns about his war service and a dark and shameful secret which haunts him.  On his return he has a relationship and then he finds his sister and returns home.  This slim volume is very well-written, but haunting. 4/5

Mrs Queen Takes the Train

I enjoyed Mrs Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn which is a fictional story about Queen Elizabeth II walking out of Buckingham Palace wearing a hoodie and catching a train to Scotland.  Her disappearance causes great consternation.  There are six other characters, mainly her staff, whom the reader learns about in flashbacks.  The non-staff person, Rajiv, serves at a cheese shop where the Queen goes to get some supplies and asks him about travelling to Scotland.  Knowing her identity he helps her to the train station and meets up with Rebecca who looks after the Queen's horses and follows the Queen and Rajiv.  They all end up on the train and Rajiv and Rebecca keep an eye on the Queen as she travels with the "ordinary" passengers.  For the Queen it is a bit of an adventure and there are the other story threads about the other characters which also make the story interesting. 4/5

The Last Resort

I very much enjoyed The Last Resort - A memoir of Zimbabwe by Douglas Rogers which tells the story of his growing up in Zimbabwe and the tenacious efforts of his parents to hold on to their property.  The book won Best Travel Book 2010 - British Guild of Travel Writers.  Douglas is based in America and travels to visit his parents and keeps in touch with the latest developments by phone.  This is a story where fact is stranger than fiction as the reader follows the tragedy of the gradual destruction of a once prosperous country.  Farmers are evicted from their properties, some murdered, as the farms are given to "war veterans".  The depth of the corruption of the country's ministers and the difficulties faced by citizens is almost too awful to be believed.  The strategies used by the Rogers to survive and remain on their property are shown in this story and the reader can only admire their resilience in the face of many adversities.  Yet there are moments of humour amidst some horrific times.  This is a gripping story. 5/5

The Inconvenient Child

I found this memoir The Inconvenient Child by Sharyn Killens & Lindsay Lewis a good read with some very disturbing aspects.  Sharyn is born in Sydney in 1948, the illegitimate daughter of a beautiful white woman and an African-American sailor who had been in Sydney.  Sharyn is treated shamefully by her mother and grandmother because they are embarrassed by her colour as well as her illegitimacy.  Sharyn's mother keeps her hidden by first leaving her with people she paid to look after her and then putting her in an orphanage.  Sharyn is brought up to herself be ashamed of who she is as she is not shown love and affection, instead she suffers further when she's put in to institutions.  As she gets older she wants to learn about her father but her mother refuses for many years to tell her anything.  She becomes a professional singer and eventually enjoys a good life.  Finally she learns about her own roots and discovers she has a family who accept her with unconditional love. The author has a website with more information here.

Phantom

I very much enjoyed Phantom by Jo Nesbo as I enjoy all his books based on his policeman character, Harry Hole.  In this story Harry is no longer a member of the Norwegian police as he's been working in Hong Kong for some time.  He returns to Norway when he learns his former girlfriend, Rakel's son Oleg has been accused of murdering a young drug dealer.  Harry has always loved both Rakel and Oleg but circumstances forced them apart.  Harry investigates the murder to prove Oleg's innocence and uncovers corruption in the police and city hall as the king pin drug drug baron, the Phantom, pulls the strings in the city.  A typical fast-paced story where the reader wonders how it will end - suspenseful. 41/2/5

October Book Club (in September)

As next Monday is a public holiday, we had our October meeting lastnight.  The weather is warming up now we're well in to Spring.  We all had a very pleasant evening at our hostess' house with lots of good conversation, food and books.  Our hostess provided a delicious supper with her flourless dark chocolate a real hit.  I enjoyed her meringues and shortbread creams, but had no room for the scrumptious banana cake.  Thanks to our hostess for the lovely evening.  She purchased some great new books to add to our collection including the latest Jo Nesbo - a favourite author of mine.  One of our ladies wasn't there as she's visiting her mother in Zimbabwe and the

other missing lady was celebrating her husband's birthday.  Two of our members had recently returned from overseas so we shared stories about our travels.  We'll look forward to getting together again next month.  In the mean time - happy reading!

Flight Behaviour

I enjoyed Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver which is set in a mountain region in USA where the people generally have low aspirations.  Dellarobia one day decides to throw away her unsatisfactory family life and "escape" but she is dazzled to find Monarch butterflies on her family property.  At first she doesn't know what they are but later the butterflies' unexpected appearance in this region becomes news and scientists and "greenies" descend on her property.  Dellarobia and her husband Cub have two small children, but Dellarobia wants more from life.  The community is divided about the butterflies and their impact.  The story of Dellarobia's life is told against the background of the case for global warming.  Very well written. 4/5

Gone Girl

I very much enjoyed Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, a great psychological thriller.  The story is told chapter by chapter by Nick, the husband, and Amy, the wife.  Amy disappears from her home on their fifth wedding anniversary and suspicion of course falls on her husband.  This is a real page-turner as the reader tries to figure out (at the same time as Nick) what is going on - can't say too much.  There are many twists and turns along the way as we finally learn what happened to Amy. 5/5

The Storyteller's Daughter

I very much enjoyed The Storyteller's Daughter by Maria Goodin, her debut novel.  [Note  - has been published under two other names Nutmeg and From the Kitchen of Half Truth]. The story is set in the English countryside where Meg May goes to stay with her dying mother, Val.  Meg was brought up in a "make-believe" world with her mother spinning stories about everyday events and even about Meg's birth.  Meg has rejected this take on the world by becoming a scientist, only interested in facts and the most important fact she wants to learn about is her birth.  Meg is pressured by her boyfriend to find out the truth about her birth and upbringing, however, Meg is somewhat reluctant to broach the subject because of her mother's illness.  A young man comes to help with the garden at Val's house and he has a much more relaxed manner while being very helpful to both Meg and Val.  Will Meg learn the truth before it is "too late"?  Does it really matter?  The reader will be asked to question whether the truth is always necessary to know. A lovely story. 4/5

The Body on the Beach

I quite enjoyed The Body on the Beach by Simon Brett which is set in an English beachside village, Fethering, and has a clear "class divide".  Middle-aged Carole had lived there since retirement and as she's walking along the beach with her dog she discovers a body near the water.  She reports it to the police and then the mystery deepens.  Carole has a new neighbour, Jude, who is a little "unconventional" for Fethering but together they set out to investigate the mystery surrounding the body on the beach. 31/2/5

September Book Club

I was very pleased to return to Book Club to see all the ladies and enjoy a pleasant evening of conversation, book discussion and some delicious supper.  Most of us were there with one lady away in England with family.  Another had also just returned from overseas doing a Mediterranean cruise and her visit to Venice coincided with mine

by one day.  Our hostess provided a wonderful supper and I particularly enjoyed her chocolate brownies.  She'd also bought a selection of great new books and I've now got some books to read, as I had little time for reading while on holiday in Europe (mainly Italy).

A World of Other People

I enjoyed A World of Other People by Steven Carroll, reading the Kindle version.  It is set during the London Blitz and is a romantic story about a young London woman Iris who meets an Australian bomber pilot, Jim, after he has physically recovered from the crash landing of his plane.  Jim is still severely traumatised by the experience though he remembers little about it, having been in a coma for some time.  Coincidentally Iris had witnessed his plane coming down but she doesn't know it was his plane.  They fall in love, but then Iris has a crisis of conscience and their lives take a different path.  A tender story. 4/5.

The Last Runaway

I enjoyed The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier as I have her other books.  This one is set in the 1850s when an English Quaker woman, Honor, travels with her sister to a new life in America.  Her expected circumstances change dramatically and she has to deal with those changes.  She becomes involved in helping escaping slaves which compromises her family's situation.  The area she lives in is more "primitive" than what she's been used to in England and requires considerable adjustment.  She has to juggle her Quaker principles to deal with her beliefs regarding the injustice the slaves must endure.  She learns new customs and eats different foods including corn.  Finally she must make a choice and deal with the consequences of that choice. 4/5

The Marmalade Files

I enjoyed The Marmalade Files by Steve Lewis and Chris Uhlmann, both political journalists so they have a good insight into what goes on in Canberra political circles.  Their main character is a journalist, Harry Dunkley, who is given a mysterious old photo in mysterious circumstances which seems to compromise the current Defence minister.  Harry chases the story to its conclusion and along the way the reader meets a number of political characters, one of which bears a striking resemblance to someone very high in the political game.  There are lots of amusing "over the top" scenarios which carry the story along. 4/5

And Then Life Happens

I very much enjoyed this memoir And Then Life Happens by Auma Obama, Barack Obama's sister.  Auma was born in Kenya.  Her father, Barack Obama, fathered her older brother and her before going to study in Hawaii where he met and married Barack junior's mother.  Barack then studied at Harvard where he met his third wife, before returning to Kenya.  Auma had a troubled and confused childhood with her household changing after her father left and returned.  Life was made more difficult when Barack's third wife, Ruth, left the family with her two sons to return to the USA.  Auma studied German at school and then university before winning a scholarship to study at a German university.  This book was originally published in German.  Her strong character shines through in this memoir as she overcomes many adversities.  She does not meet her brother Barack until he is in his early twenties, but they become very close.  Auma has a very interesting story to tell and not just because she has a famous brother. 4/5

Bush Nurses

I very much enjoyed Bush Nurses, a collection of short stories, edited by Annabelle Brayley.  The collection comprises stories told by nurses working in remote regions of Australia from the early 20th century to the present.  The resilience and bravery of these nurses in taking on the challenges of nursing in these places is truly remarkable and they deserve credit for doing so.  For them it is more than just a "job", they become involved in the community and have a caring and compassionate nature which sees them through happy times and some sad incidents.  In most cases they work with limited resources and often have to "make do" to get the job done.  Some have a "romantic" idea about working in the outback, but that is soon dispelled by the reality of what they often have to deal with.  They experience joy and sadness and develop a rapport with the community with whom they work.  These women and men deserve our greatest admiration and respect. 4/5

July Book Club

We had a very pleasant evening for our Book Club this week and a rare occasion as all members were present.  Kathy our hostess provided some delicious home baked treats for supper.  We had lots to talk about besides the books and everyone had had a good month.  

There are some fantastic books in the club at the moment and our members recommended many of them as we discussed them.  Kathy bought some great new books which I'll look forward to getting in to.  I only borrowed one book myself as I have a couple of birthday books to finish and I'm going overseas in a few weeks so won't need so many books.

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

I very much enjoyed Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Green (note - in some markets published under name Matthew Dicks) where Max's imaginary friend Budo tells about his life.  Max is a "special" little boy who has autism and finds it difficult to relate to his family and his peers but he tells Budo everything.  They are practically inseparable.  Budo especially enjoys going to school with Max and seeing his favourite teacher.  One day Budo notices Max acting unusually and then discovers he has been kidnapped.  Budo then sets out to find a way to rescue Max.  A delightfully charming story. 4/5

The Next Best Thing

I enjoyed The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner which is about a young woman, Ruth, who goes with her grandmother to California so Ruth can pursue her dream to write a successful television comedy show.  Ruth was brought up by her grandmother after her parents died in a car accident which left Ruth seriously injured.  Her grandmother helped her through surgeries and rehabilitation but Ruth is self-conscious about an "ugly" scar on her face.  Ruth's dream becomes a reality but not as she'd planned.  She discovers obstacles from many quarters as everyone has a say. She is also looking for love and fears rejection.  It is a pleasant story, a little slow at first but worth reading. 31/2/5

Promise

I read Promise by Tony Cavanaugh who has written a number of Australian screenplays.  This is his first novel which is about a former Melbourne homicide detective Darian Richards who "escapes" to Noosa for a quiet life.  However, it is not long before he is caught up in the hunt for a particularly gruesome serial killer who stalks his mainly girl victims before snatching them and subjecting them to horrific acts.  Darian is determined to track down the murderer and ensure he will never kill again.  He has some help from a female detective working at the local police station and also from a computer geek able to hack into systems to expedite the investigation.  The story is told in the first person by both Richards and the murderer.  The first time the reader "meets" the murderer is a surprise and then as we get to know more about his psyche and his motivation, it becomes very creepy.  A well-written but awfully disturbing story.  Haunting. 3/5

It's Fine By Me

I've read It's Fine By Me by Per Petterson, recently translated from the Norwegian version which was originally published in 1992.  It's the story of Audun beginning when he starts school in a new area after moving there with his mother.  It becomes apparent he has had a troubled childhood and the reader learns more about this when the author takes us back to an earlier period before moving back to the present.  The story is set in the early 1970s and Audun mainly keeps to himself apart from a friendship with a youth who is a socialist. 31/2/5

Mateship with Birds

I enjoyed Mateship with Birds by Carrie Tiffany which is set in rural Australia in the early 1950s.  Harry is a dairy farmer who lives next door to single mother Betty and her two children Michael and Hazel.  Over the years they all get to know each other well.  Harry also watches the birds on his property and teaches Michael about them.  As Michael matures, Harry takes on the role of teaching him about women (only for adult readers).  It is a gentle quirky story about sex and love as we learn more about Betty and Harry and how they watch each other. 4/5 

The Rosie Project

I very much enjoyed The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, an Australian author writing his first novel.  The story is about Professor Don Tillman, a geneticist working at a university, who decides at age 39 to find a wife and develops a questionnaire which will filter out the women with undesirable attributes.  Don has some personality issues - he plans his day down to the minute and therefore has a routine from which he rarely deviates.  He meets Rosie who wants to learn the identity of her biological father and Don is caught up in this project.  Rosie does not fit his criteria for the perfect wife, however, he and Rosie develop a sort of relationship which is subject to misunderstandings on both sides.  This is a great romantic comedy and a very enjoyable read. 41/2/5

Death by Design

I enjoyed Death by Design by Barbara Nadel which is about a Turkish police officer, Ikmen, who travels to London to follow an investigation after an incident in Istanbul involving fake handbags and the slaves forced to make them.  It is a grim scenario which is sadly a reality in today's world where desperate people are tricked in to "employment" in England.  Ikmen and the Scotland Yard detectives find a link between the incident in Istanbul and a possible terrorist  plot to take place in inner London.  Further investigation reveals a host of unsavoury characters as Ikmen goes undercover on his dangerous mission to enter England as an illegal migrant and become embedded amongst the people with connections to the plot.  Ikmen expresses utter contempt for the radical Moslems who practise a distorted form of  Islam.  The Mayor of London is trying to crack down on the illegal trade in counterfeit goods, aware of the miserable conditions in which they are manufactured.  However, the main evil character, Ahmet Ulker, is determined to go to any lengths to ensure his business continues. Suspenseful. 4/5

June 2013 meeting

This month I hosted our Wine & Giggles Book Club meeting.  All the members except one came along on a chilly evening.  I had spent the morning baking apple muffins and GF chocolate brownies (now my favourite thing).  My husband helped me get everything ready and his help is invaluable.  We all enjoyed catching up, drinking, and discussing the books we've read in the last month.  I've got one of the new books to read, The Rosie Project, and I'm looking forward to diving in to it.  Too many good books, not enough time!

Dead Man's Chest

I enjoyed Dead Man's Chest by Kerry Greenwood which is a Phryne Fisher mystery.  Miss Fisher is such a wonderful quirky character who appeals to all except snobs and criminals.  She and her household are holidaying in Queenscliff and expect to find the holiday house with Mr and Mrs Johnson there to attend to her needs.  However, they are missing and the house has been ransacked.  Miss Fisher sets out to solve the mystery of their disappearance and set up the house for the comfort of herself and her entourage.  She meets some eccentric neighbours and eventually discovers the crime behind the Johnsons' disappearance.  The Miss Fisher books are a delight. 4/5

The Captain's Daughter

I enjoyed The Captain's Daughter by Leah Fleming which begins with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.  Two survivors, May and Celeste, are from very different backgrounds yet sharing this experience has made them firm and loyal friends.  May loses her family but gains a "daughter" and keeps her secret for many years.  Celeste has endured an abusive marriage and becomes a stronger person for having survived the sinking.  The story stretches over their lives and succeeding generations. 4/5. 

New books for June 2013

This year I went through my newspaper cuttings to produce a "long list" of 25 which was drastically reduced to six as I bought my books from Dymocks at Indooroopilly.  I hope you will enjoy them.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion was described as the "must read" for 2013.   Don Tillman has given up on love. Until a chance encounter gives him an idea. He will design a questionnaire—a sixteen-page, scientifically researched questionnaire—to uncover the perfect partner.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini is the latest from this talented author.  We've enjoyed his previous books The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns and I'm very pleased to have his latest novel.  The story begins in 1952 Afghanistan as a family struggles to deal with poverty and the events of their lives over generations.

Mrs Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn tells the whimsical story of a monarch tired of her life who sets out on an adventure, escaping from those around her, causing consternation.  A charming witty novel.

The Storyteller's Daughter by Maria Goodin is about the relationship between a mother and daughter.  A heartwarming novel of relationships and secrets. 

A Possible Life by Sebastian Faulks is a novel which spans continents and time exploring love and grief and the ways experiences echo through history.

Phantom by Jo Nesbo is the latest in the Harry Hole series in which he investigates the death of a junkie.  Harry is no longer a policeman and does not know whom he can trust.  He has a special reason for investigating this murder.

Taking a Chance

I enjoyed Taking a Chance by Deborah Burrows which is set in wartime Perth.  Reporter Nell Fitzgerald attends the sentencing of a woman convicted of murdering her lover.  Nell meets an American serviceman , Johnny Horvath from the American Press Corps who wants to prove the innocence of the murderess.  Nell and Johnny inevitably have a heavy romance while at the same time re-investigating the murder and tracking down young female runaways. Story told in first person, bit corny and predictable, but a good "light and fluffy" read. 31/2/5