The One Man

I've read The One Man by Andrew Gross which is set mainly in Auschwitz during World War II.  The story is about a man, Blum, who is asked by the American government to enter the camp and extract a prisoner, Mendl, because of his knowledge of nuclear power.  It is a fast paced story and at times I felt uncomfortable reading it because of the terrible picture of the camp presented to the reader.  I know about the terrible cruelties inflicted on the people there and at times this made for harrowing reading.  Blum has only 72 hours to find the scientist among thousands of prisoners there.  All along the way he is placed in impossible situations.  Those who sent him have high hopes but realise it may not be possible to achieve.  The author has researched his topic well and based his story on some real life events.  The suspense he's created is very powerful.  It is not an easy read. 4/5

The Woman who Walked into the Sea

I enjoyed The Woman who Walked into the Sea by Mark Douglas-Home which is set in a fictitious place in northern Scotland.  A young mother, Violet, was adopted and has always wanted to know about her birth parents.  She receives a letter which sheds some light on her mother's story.  Her name was Megan and Violet learns that she committed suicide by walking into the sea the day Violet was born.  Violet visits the village where she was born to find out what she can about her mother and the reason she abandoned Violet.  An oceanographer, Cal, who studies tides and currents is visiting the area and he meets Violet.  There is a lot of "undercurrents" in the community with some people not wanting this mystery to be solved.  4/5

This Must Be The Place

I enjoyed This Must Be The Place by Maggie O'Farrell which is largely set in Ireland.  American divorced man Daniel meets a former movie star, Claudette, when he stops to help her.  They eventually marry.  This is basically a love story and the reader witnesses the ups and downs of their relationship.  There are many characters surrounding these two and we learn about them in their own chapters in time and place and how they affect the lives of the main characters.  Daniel and Claudette also travel through time so the reader gets their back story and how they came to be where they are now.  It's a big book (483 pages).  I did enjoy the diversions in meeting other characters which is frustrating at times as the previous chapter may end in a "cliff hanger" which is not resolved till later. Still an enjoyable book. 4/5

Trust No One

I very much enjoyed Trust No One by Paul Cleave, set in Christchurch, New Zealand.  A crime writer, Jerry Grey, develops early-onset Alzheimer's disease.  He has moments of lucidity and writes a journal "not a diary, a journal" to his future self so he can hold on to his "real" life as long as possible.  Time has no meaning for him.  He is happily married to Sandra.  His daughter Eva brings her wedding forward so Jerry can participate.  At times Jerry becomes confused with reality and the "fantasy" of the books he writes.  Is he basing his characters and his books on real murders?  Is he himself a murderer?  His best mate Hans tries to help him solve the puzzle in Jerry's brain.  The reader sees the story from different perspectives as we try to work out what is real and true.  Best crime story I've read in a long time. Highly recommended. 5/5

Harry Mac

I very much enjoyed Harry Mac by Russell Eldridge which is set in early 1960s South Africa.  The narrator is Tom, a preteen, whose father (Harry Mac) is the Editor of a local newspaper.  Tom's best friend is Millie, daughter of a Jewish man who escaped the Holocaust.  There is a lot happening in South Africa at this time.  The Nationals are in government and apartheid has an impact on everyone.  Tom and Millie try to understand the world around them, some of which is explained by Millie's father Sol.  Tom and his family are English and Harry Mac uses his  newspaper to expose the flaws in the laws. A young lawyer, Nelson Mandela, is rising to prominence.  The author was born in South Africa, now living in Australia.  His writing is brilliant as he weaves this "coming of age" tale about life in South Africa at a difficult time.  Highly recommended. 5/5

March Book Club

 We had an enjoyable evening at Book Club on Monday evening.  Our host provided a delicious supper and she'd bought a number of great new books.  Hard to believe it's March already.  I always enjoy being with these ladies.  There was only one missing this month and she'll shortly be home from a "grey nomad" trip with her husband.  I've enjoyed seeing photographs of the places she's been to for the last several weeks.  Some ladies have some exciting travel plans later in the year.

Thirst

I enjoyed Thirst by L.A. Larkin which is a murder/thriller set in Antarctica "sometime in the future".  A ruthless Chinese businessman plans to use explosives to break a very large chunk off an iceberg which he'll take to China to alleviate the water problem there.  A pair of Australians on patrol stumble on Chinese soldiers.  At the nearby Australian station, the occupants lose all communication.  A maverick scientist, Luke Searle, and another person, the Commander of the station learn what is going on and try to stop it happening.  As you read the story, it is all about the ice and the freezing conditions these characters endure.  The author (Australian, female) has been to Antarctica and learned a lot about it.  I think readers may need to suspend belief sometimes.  I have never been to this continent but I thought some of the scenarios were incredible.  Nevertheless, the reader can stop shivering when they finish the book.  It does gallop along with cliff-hanging chapter endings. 31/2/5

Golden Hill

I enjoyed Golden Hill by Francis Spufford which is set in mid-18th Century New York.  A young man, Richard Smith, arrives by ship and immediately goes to a "counting house" (equivalent of a bank) run by Mr Lovell,  with a bill for £1,000 which he wants honoured in cash.  He doesn't reveal his purpose and allows some time for Mr Lovell to be convinced of his bona fides.  Mr Smith is almost instantly known throughout the small settlement as a man of considerable wealth but the citizens are puzzled as to his purpose.  He has some hair-raising adventures along the way before he gets his money.  He falls in love and shows his acting skills in a locally produced play.  Finally Smith's identity is revealed and his purpose.  It was a bit slow at first but picks up as we follow Smith's adventures.  The style of writing is "olde-worldly" and well done.  The reader can smell New York and feel the biting cold.  This was Riverbend's Book of the Month for January. 4/5