Last Chance Cafe

I very much enjoyed Last Chance Cafe by Liz Byrski which is set in Melbourne, Australia.  The story begins with an elderly woman, Dot, chaining herself inside a busy shopping centre, protesting against the exploitation of women.  An old friend, Margot, whom Dot hasn't seen for many years takes her away after the chain is broken.  Then the reader is introduced to a number of characters who are all connected. Margot's two daughters Emma, a high flyer who gave custody of her daughter to her husband because she couldn't handle motherhood and Lexie who has been made redundant from her job.  The reader also meets Margot's sister, Phyllida, and her husband Donald who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.  The events following this has ramifications for all.  It is a good, easy read and the reader gets caught up in the lives of the characters. 4/5

Bay of Fires

I enjoyed Bay of Fires by Poppy Gee which is set in northern Tasmania.  Sarah is staying with her parents and sister in a beach shack where they've come every year.  She has returned after a disastrous breakup with her boyfriend in Queensland.  There has been a recent disappearance of a female backpacker and when her body is washed up on a beach there is much speculation about her death and the disappearance a year ago of another young woman.  Hall, a journalist with a local paper, stays in a B&B there to write stories about the women and meets Sarah.  They both try to work out what happened with some prime suspects coming to their notice.  The story is mainly about the relationships between the different characters.  Eventually, the truth is revealed. 4/5

The Full Ridiculous

I very much enjoyed The Full Ridiculous by Mark Lamprell, which is set in Australia.  The story is written in the second person - an interesting effect.  Michael O'Dell is hit by a car when crossing the road and his life seems to unravel after this traumatic event.  Then at school, his daughter Rosie is involved in an incident which will have wider ramifications for her and her family.  Michael's son, Declan, is discovered to have almost done something unlawful.  Wife, Wendy, is stressed about how the family will survive financially.  There seems to be one crisis after another, some almost comical involving a maniacal police constable.  Michael despairs that his life will ever be "normal" again.  The reader will be asking what next can go wrong with this family.  Very clever writing. 4/5

A Trick of the Light

I enjoyed A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny which is set in Canada.  Inspector Gamache and his team investigate the murder of a woman found dead in her former best friend's garden.  The story revolves around the art world which seems very "bitchy".  The murdered woman was an acerbic art critic whose venomous reviews ruined many a career.  The murder site is bursting with suspects who would have wanted her dead.  There are a number of interesting "characters" in the village and also among the "visitors".  The book is about light and its opposite - chiaroscuro.  There are some "pairs" that are contrasts as well with their position or personality.  In the end all is revealed with the murderer caught and the motive shown. 4/5

The Lazarus Project

I quite enjoyed The Lazarus Project by Aleksandar Hemon which is set in two time periods. A writer, Brik,  (in 2004) has been researching the killing of Lazarus Averbuch in early 20th century Chicago.  He died allegedly trying to assassinate the Chief of Police.  Brik receives a grant to write his book and is determined to earn some money rather than continue to be "kept" by his surgeon wife.  Brik and his friend Rora go to eastern Europe to find out more about Lazarus before he came to America.  Lazarus and his family were driven out of Russia because they were Jews. Brik is the narrator in alternate chapters.  The story of Lazarus is told in the third person, perhaps Brik's version of events. Rora had been in Sarajevo during the war in the 1990s and Brik learns more about that and what happened to Rora.  The two time periods are similar in that there is an hysteria regarding "foreigners" or people whom the establishment does not understand and therefore treat with suspicion. 4/5                                                     

Suspect

I enjoyed Suspect by Robert Crais which is set in Los Angeles.  A police officer, Scott James, is seriously injured in a shoot-out while on duty.  His partner was killed.  Several months later Scott transfers to the K-9 unit and is teamed with a dog who was injured in Afghanistan.  Scott is keen to help in the investigation of the shoot-out in which he was involved.  He and his new K-9 partner Maggie follow some leads which take them in to dangerous territory.  A good story which reveals the close relationship a handler needs to have with his dog. 31/2/5

The Maid's Version

I liked The Maid's Version by Daniel Woodrell which is mainly set in a small town in the USA in the 1920s.  Alma is telling her story to her grandson in the 1960s.  She tells him about her family and different characters in the town.  The main focus of her reminiscences is the terrible dance hall fire in that occurred in 1929 which claimed the lives of many people including Alma's beloved sister, Ruby.  In the years since the tragedy there have been a number of people blamed for the fire.  Some have even falsely confessed to gain attention.  The reader meets some of the people who died in the fire showing how they came to be there that night.  Alma tells her grandson the name of the person whom she knows is responsible.  The author goes back and forth in time and introduces a number of different characters that we need to keep track of. 31/2/5

The Asylum

I've read The Asylum (also called Asylum) by John Harwood which is set in late 19th century England.  A young woman, Georgina Ferrars, wakes up in an asylum and is addressed by a different name.  She cannot remember coming to the asylum or events immediately preceding that time.  Her identity has essentially been "stolen".  The story is told in the form of a narrative by Georgina, also Georgina's journal and a series of letters written by another female character.  Georgina gradually learns the truth as to why she is confined in the asylum and plans her escape.  Finally the mystery of her confinement is revealed.  I found the story a little confusing with the different time periods and working out who was related to whom. 31/2/5

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

I very much enjoyed the delightful The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce which is set in England.  Harold receives a letter from an old friend, Queenie, telling him she has cancer.  Without thinking about it, Harold decides to visit her on foot, some 500 kms (or was it miles??) away.  During his walk he meets many people and takes their stories on board.  The reader learns a lot about Harold and his past, some of which he is not proud of.  He leaves his wife Maureen behind sending her postcards and phones her as he walks.  It seems it is a journey of redemption as Harold wants to "make right" events that happened 20 years earlier.  It is a touching story.  My only gripe was discovering a map of his journey at the end of the book (rather than the beginning).  Highly recommended. 41/2/5

June Book Club

We had an enjoyable evening this week with Book Club at my place.  I bought six new books to add to our collection.  One of our members is holidaying in Europe and another had visitors at her place.  One of our ladies had recently returned from a wonderful holiday in South America and England and we enjoyed hearing about her travel adventures.  She climbed Machu Picchu which sounded a bit scary with no hand rails.  I doubt any wheelies would make it up there.  A few of our ladies have holidays planned over the next few months - lucky things.  I'm not sure I have the energy to do that again.  I feel I returned from Italy not so long ago (nearly a year now).  Anyway, it's always good to catch up with these lovely ladies.  Hope we all have a great month.