Wine & Giggles Book Club

Badger's Moon

2012-01-28T11:30:00.006+10:00

I enjoyed Badger's Moon by Peter Tremayne which is another in the series of Sister Fidelma mysteries set in 7th century Ireland. I particularly enjoy the author's Historical Note which explains some of the background history of Ireland at that time. It was a more progressive nation than many others at the time. Women were treated well and could study, as Sister Fidelma did and she rose to a high rank as a judge. Catholicism was relatively new and celibacy and marriage were still allowed in Ireland. In this book Sister Fidelma and her husband leave their infant son to solve the mysterious deaths of three young women in another area. The crimes are made more complicated by a further murder and the finding of gold in the area. Sister Fidelma is a strong character and she eventually works through the complex case to find the answer. 4/5

State of Wonder

2012-01-24T09:40:00.002+10:00

I've read State of Wonder by Ann Patchett which is set in the Amazonian jungle. An eccentric scientist, Annick, working for a big drug company is developing a drug to prolong female fertility. Another scientist, Anders, from the company is sent down to check on her progress as Annick hasn't communicated with the company for a long time. The company later receives a lettergram from Annick saying that Anders has died. So another employee, Marina, is sent down to find out more about Anders' death and the progress of the drug development. It is a fairly slow story and didn't grip me. There are moments of "adventure" but I think the scenario painted is improbable, but of course it is a story. 31/2/5

Restitution

2012-01-19T16:48:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed Restitution by Eliza Graham which is a novel about the life of a woman who lived through WWII as a teenager. Alexandra (in 2002) meets her son, Michael, whom she adopted out during the War. She tells him her story as they travel to Poland together where Alexandra's Prussian family lived until the War. The story jumps back and forth in time as the reader learns about Alexandra's parents, her friends and her own story of how she escaped the Nazis and then the Russian occupation. As with any War story, there is much loss, suffering and regret. And there is love. 4/5

Faces in the Clouds

2012-01-14T16:12:00.002+10:00

I quite enjoyed this poignant story Faces in the Clouds by Matt Nable. Twin boys, Stephen and Lawrence, are born to an "army couple". Lawrence is intellectually disabled (likely from the birth experience). The boys grow up with Stephen at times resenting Lawrence being involved with his young social life, though they are always very close. The story follows them growing to adulthood with many changes to their lives along the way. Stephen often longs to "escape" Lawrence, but then feels guilty about doing so. It is a well-written, sometimes sad story. 4/5

Book of Lost Threads

2012-01-11T16:21:00.002+10:00

I thoroughly enjoyed Book of Lost Threads by Tess Evans (a brilliant first novel). The story centers on a number of characters in the small Australian fictional town of Opportunity. All the characters are connected to the main character Finn, who as a young man then known as Michael, was paid to be a sperm donor for a lesbian couple, Linsey and Amy. Many years later the daughter of that union, Moss, lands on Finn's doorstep to get to know him after learning his identity. All these wonderful characters have a secret or are "damaged" in some way and the different threads of their individual stories are finally tied together at the end. They are so well drawn that the reader really comes to know them and feel for them. Lily's story of her tea cosies is a delight. Highly recommended. 5/5

Far To Go

2012-01-08T10:01:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed Far To Go by Alison Pick, a fictional story of a wealthy Czech Jewish family in 1938/39 as they deal with the Nazi invasion. The story is mainly centered on the Kindertransport which took Jewish children to Britain. Most of the story is told in the third person as the reader learns about the lives of the Bauer family and their nanny, Marta. We see the turmoil their lives are thrown in to and their powerlessness over their own lives. They are able to get their son, Pepik, on the Kindertransport. Part of the story is narrated in the first person and it is some time before we realise the identity of this person. It all comes together at the end as we learn the connection this narrator has with the other characters in this poignant story. 41/2/5

It Takes A Village

2012-01-06T16:51:00.002+10:00

This story, It Takes A Village by Christine Stinson was quite sweet. Sophie is growing up in the suburbs of Sydney in the 1950s and 1960s. She discovers quite young that she is illegitimate. She lives with her grandfather after her mother and grandmother died when Sophie was very young. Her next door neighbour, Mrs Hogan, acts as her "mother" and with a number of people in the street is a great help to her. Unfortunately, there are gossips who make her life difficult. Sophie becomes obsessed with discovering who her father is. As she grows up she becomes romantically involved and the story has an almost inevitable conclusion. A pleasant sweet story. 31/2/5

The Memory of Love

2012-01-03T17:28:00.002+10:00

I very much enjoyed The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna which is set in the early 2000's in the aftermath of the civil war in Sierra Leone. A British psychologist, Adrian, goes to work there for a short time and his first job is to listen to the story of a dying man, Elias Cole. Other important characters are Kai, a surgeon, who worked to save lives during the war and the beautiful Mamakay who connects all the main characters though that is not immediately obvious. There are love stories as well as tales of horrors committed during the war, which the country has to come to terms with. There are some terrible memories. It is likely a story that could be repeated in many countries that have suffered similar fates. The story is very well written - one that you want to finish but feel bereft when it's over. Highly recommended. 5/5

Someone Else's Son

2011-12-28T12:14:00.005+10:00

I enjoyed Someone Else's Son by Sam Hayes which involves the fatal stabbing of a teenage boy, Max, at his school. His girlfriend, Dayna, is there but cannot identify the killer. Max and Dayna are both from dysfunctional families though for very different reasons. Max's parents are divorced. His mother is a wealthy high profile TV personality who specialises in exposing people who have done the wrong thing or tries to find murderers. Now she is faced with the murder of her own son and goes into emotional meltdown as she becomes the "mother" whom she has interviewed many times in similar situations. Max's father is a blind mathematician who lives in an area far below his means, probably to irritate his ex-wife. Dayna lives on an "estate" with her mother, dole-bludging step-father and her little sister. The parents of these teenagers don't really know them at all. Max and Dayna are both bullied at school and find each other because they are both "different". At the time of the murder, they are studying "Romeo and Juliet" and this play is a strong theme for the story. The book jumps into different time zones for each chapter so we learn more background and well as advancing the present story. Good read. 4/5

The Year After

2011-12-22T12:24:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed The Year After by Martin Davies, set in late 1919 - the year after the end of WWI. Returned from the War unscathed, Tom Allen had often been a guest before the War at the Stansbury's home, Hannesford Court whose owners were wealthy and had a number of children. A son, Harry Stansbury, was killed in the War and another son, Reggie, was terribly maimed. Tom Allen is intrigued when another guest mentions the sudden death of a German professor staying at the house shortly before the War began. So there is a mystery to be solved, a possible crime and it may involve the Stansburys. Tom narrates his chapters, so is the main character. The other character, Anne, also narrates her part in the story. There are two different fonts to distinguish the characters. Anne was a "companion" at the house before the War - in the background and she has no desire to return to the same position after her own War experiences. So there is romance and intrigue and a look at that time - what life was like. 4/5

Homecoming

2011-12-19T16:19:00.003+10:00

This book Homecoming by Bernhard Schlink was interesting and a little hard to get in to at first. The main character, Peter, was born during the War and was told his father had died. His mother brought him up and and he also spent his holidays with his beloved paternal grandparents. They valued books and Peter became intrigued with the manuscript of a story of a soldier returning from the War. He had only part of it and couldn't find the ending, so eventually became obsessed with finding the author and the end of the story. He found it was based on the "ultimate" homecoming story The Odyssey - as are all "homecoming" stories (according to the book). He also has a romantic interest which is sometimes dysfunctional. Finally he learns the truth about his father and has a bizarre "confrontation" with him. A strange story. 31/2/5

The Second-last Woman in England

2011-12-17T12:31:00.006+10:00

I enjoyed The Second-last Woman in England by Maggie Joel which is a fictional story. The author begins with the murder of Cecil Wallis by his wife Harriet in 1953. The author was inspired to create her main character, Harriet, based on the last woman to be hanged in England, Ruth Ellis. The story begins with the shocking murder on Coronation Day then the reader is taken back nine months before that day of the murder when Harriet receives an unexpected visitor, her brother Freddie, who has been away for a number of years. Another character in the story is the new nanny, Jean Corbett, who has a special reason for taking the position in the Wallis household. It's a good story revealing the society of that time. 41/2/5

One Day

2011-12-11T17:36:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed One Day by David Nicholls which is a story of the relationship between Dexter and Emma spanning 20 years. From 15 July 1988 we learn about their friendship then each subsequent 15 July we learn where they are at in their lives - their careers, their love lives, marriages, friendships, family connections. Later in the book their lives take an "inevitable" turn and then things change. Well written, interesting way of looking at two people's lives. 4/5

December Book Club

2011-12-06T16:26:00.004+10:00

We all had a lovely time at Liz's place for our final meeting for the year. She had the Christmas tree and decorations up and a delicious Christmas supper with lots of home made goodies. Everyone was there last night except for Robyn who wasn't well. Marilyn was back from overseas but as she plans to return there for some time, sadly she has temporarily resigned from our club. Penny, Ulla and Jenny are excitedly looking forward to grandchildren in the very near future, Penny for the first time. We had a terrific evening chatting about many things including Christmas plans. Liz bought a number of great books and we stocked up to ensure we have enough reading material to last till our next meeting in February.

Empire Day

2011-12-06T09:28:00.002+10:00

I quite enjoyed Empire Day by Diane Armstrong which is set in Sydney in 1948 and examines the changes in society brought about by the European refugees. Empire Day is the symbol of Australia's loyalty to Britain with its "cracker night" celebration. There are other changes which are not easy for some to accept such as single women bringing up children, working women, threat of communism. The polio epidemic is also highlighted. At first the story seems full of "Aussie cliches" but some serious issues are addressed - crime in Sydney, how migrants adjusted (or not) and how they were treated. Was the migration process flawed allowing "undesirables" in to the country. It's a good story of a snapshot in time in Australia. 4/5

Crime Book Club Christmas Lunch

2011-12-06T09:19:00.003+10:00

Our Crime Book Club enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant last week. It was the 1st December and we had abnormally cool weather with some rain, which was a welcome relief after the very hot November. Unfortunately, not all members could come but we enjoyed some good conversation, nice meal and a glass of wine. We have our list of books to read for 2012 and I look forward to getting started on the first one The Second Last Woman in England by Maggie Joel.

All That I Am

2011-12-02T17:24:00.005+10:00

I very much enjoyed All That I Am by Anna Funder. This fine writer is the author of the non-fiction Stasiland and this is her first novel which is based on oral histories done with an elderly friend. The story is about real people and events and Funder builds her flesh on the bones of those facts. It is initially set in the early 21st century as an old woman, Ruth, looks back on her past in Nazi Germany. She tells about her cousin Dora and her passion for justice and equality in a country where there was none pre-World War II. In a different time period and voice we learn about playwright Ernst Toller, living in New York shortly before the War who is also looking back on his own relatively short life as he dictates his story to his secretary. It is a suspenseful story as we learn about the events that affected the characters and gain an understanding of the terror the anti-Nazis experienced. Also as many refugees moved to Britain we learn that the British refused to accept what the refugees were telling them about what was happening in Germany, likely because they feared another War and refused to believe it could happen again. This is so well written - highly recommended. 5/5

House Rules

2011-11-26T12:12:00.002+10:00

I've read House Rules by Jodi Picoult which is a very large book (532 pages) when it didn't need to be. It is the story of 18 year old Jacob who has Asperger's Syndrome, has a very high IQ and is fixated on forensics. He is charged with the murder of Jess, his social skills tutor. The story is told with each chapter being narrated by one of the main characters - Jacob, his brother, his mother, his lawyer and the policeman, so we know what each character is thinking (they even get their own fonts). I found the story frustrating, unrealistic and too long. However, it was very interesting to learn about Asperger's as the author always does her research well. Eventually Jacob goes to trial and there is suspense as the reader awaits the jury's verdict. 31/2/5

Luther - The Calling

2011-11-21T17:05:00.002+10:00

I quite enjoyed Luther - The Calling by Neil Cross which is a murder thriller set in London. DCI Luther is obsessed with his work to the exclusion of all else, including his wife. A particularly gruesome murder takes place and a baby is stolen. The murderer strikes again and a child is taken. Luther uses "unconventional" means to find the murderer and try to retrieve the child. The author as he says has "done this the wrong way round." He wrote the screenplay for the "Luther" TV series and this book is a "spinoff" of that work. A scary suspenseful story, which makes it a good thriller. 4/5

In the Company of Angels

2011-11-20T09:08:00.003+10:00

I quite liked In the Company of Angels by Thomas E. Kennedy which is set in Copenhagen, Denmark about 10 years ago. It is basically a love triangle with some complex and not all likeable characters. Michela aged late 30s has a relationship with a younger man, Voss, who becomes obsessed with her. He actually becomes very irritating. She meets Nardo, a survivor of the Pinochet regime in Chile and then things really become "complicated." Nardo is trying to deal with his traumatic past with the help of a psychologist who tries to draw him out and make him relive that past. How does a psychologist deal with listening to such terrible tales? 4/5

The Auschwitz Violin

2011-11-13T17:26:00.003+10:00

This fictional story The Auschwitz Violin by Maria Angels Anglada was beautiful and poignant. It is a small book, well structured and written. Daniel is a young Jewish man in Auschwitz, who has lost most of his family. Daily he deals with the horror around him. He used to make violins and when the camp's commander learns this, he requires him to make one for his collection. Daniel then learns that this task is the subject of a wager, his life for a crate of wine. He has a limited time to make the violin, but as he officially has no knowledge of the bet, he doesn't know how much time he has. This is a little gem of a book. 5/5

Act of Mercy

2011-11-13T17:01:00.003+10:00

I enjoyed Act of Mercy by Peter Tremayne which was a "whodunnit" set in 7th Century Ireland. Sister Fidelma is on a sea pilgrimage to a shrine in Iberia to contemplate her commitment to the Church or whether the law is more important to her. She is an advocate of the law courts and tasked with solving legal issues and when her fellow pilgrims start getting murdered, she must use her skills to solve the murders. Her work is complicated by an encounter with a former lover and now pilgrim on board the vessel. It was a good crime story, but what I found even more interesting was the author's Historical Note before the story which explains the history of the Christian Church in Ireland and how progressive the Church and the legal system was in Ireland at that time. Without this information, the story might have been harder to understand. It is then unfortunate for Ireland that the Roman church and eventually the English eventually eroded the Irish independence. Perhaps if the reverse had occurred regarding the Church, we might have a better Christian church today. 31/2/5

November Book Club

2011-11-08T16:18:00.002+10:00

We enjoyed our Book Club at Carmen's place last night. She bought some great new books for us to read and she gave us a delicious supper with beautiful crockery. The teapots are just gorgeous. It was great to see Marilyn who had been absent for the last couple of meetings. Vee was back from overseas visiting family and Ulla had enjoyed her husband's birthday party in Bali. Jenny was not able to come this time due to sudden work commitments. Kathy is helping her father with his house and Liz is helping her daughter's family interstate. So our numbers were again a little depleted. A couple of our ladies are looking forward to grandchildren in the near future, one for the first time. The circle of time. I look forward to reading the books I've selected.

The Paris Wife

2011-11-05T17:15:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed The Paris Wife by Paula McLain which is a fictional story of Ernest Hemingway's first marriage to Hadley Richardson. The story is well-researched, and is narrated by Hadley. This gives an intimacy to what is a passionate love story with two strong characters. They meet in Chicago in 1920, marry, then move to Paris where Ernest believes he will be able to work better on his writing. They soon become involved with the "beautiful people" of that era who are also living in Paris. It is an exciting time. Ernest's work begins to attract attention and he makes a living from his writing. Things then become "complicated." Very well written as the reader becomes intimately involved in their lives. May have more appeal for women. 41/2/5

A Visit from the Goon Squad

2011-10-30T11:14:00.002+10:00

I quite enjoyed this unusual story A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, which won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Difficult to describe what it is about. The story spans about 40 years when Bennie Salazar starts out in a band in the 1980s, then as life goes on he ends up as a music producer. There is a cast of many characters along the way who are somehow interconnected. Each chapter, the reader is not sure what this "sub-story" will be about, to whom it is connected and what time period it is. You need to concentrate to remember a connection with a character which may be some time back, how old is the character now, what is he or she doing. The story is not chronological, so you can be jumping back and forth, even into the future (which is most interesting). Weird, but worth sticking with. 4/5

Where Are You Now?

2011-10-27T16:42:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark. Mac MacKenzie disappeared 10 years ago but phones his mother every Mother's Day to tell her he's okay. His sister Carolyn decides to find out what happened to him and where he is now. Mac is then linked to the disappearance of a young woman and police are desperate to find her as they believe she is the latest in a series of women who have disappeared, probably murdered. The suspense builds as the reader tries to work out who the murderer is - he speaks to us in the first person but does not identify himself. A good yarn. 4/5

Jamrach's Menagerie

2011-10-23T17:37:00.003+10:00

Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch was a fairly good read, though some of the content was a bit confronting. Set in mid to late 19th century, a young boy, Jaffy, living in the slums meets an escaped tiger in a London street (based on a true incident). He survives the experience and goes to work for the tiger's owner Jamrach in his menagerie where many exotic birds and animals are traded. Jaffy befriends another employee, an older boy, Tim and meets his sister Ishbel. Jaffy and Tim decide to join a ship on an expedition to capture a rare beast for a "collector". Their adventures and mishaps then form most of the story. 31/2/5

One Summer

2011-10-20T13:46:00.002+10:00

I did not like One Summer by David Baldacci which is different from his usual thriller/crime genre. It tells a story of a dying man whose wife is suddenly killed in an accident leaving him and his three children. He has a "miraculous" recovery and takes his children to a seaside town where his beloved wife grew up so they can all make a new life together. As our book club ladies would say this is "peaches & cream" to excess with some predictable and some improbable scenarios. Most of it is so sickly "sweet". The author should stick to what he does best. 2/5

Hand Me Down World

2011-10-16T09:21:00.002+10:00

This haunting tale Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones tells the story of a young African woman made pregnant by a visiting German, who then steals her new born baby boy and takes him home to Germany as his and his wife's baby. The baby's mother then undertakes a hazardous journey to Europe, experiencing unscrupulous people smugglers who leave their "clients" to drown while waiting for another boat to take them safely to shore - a boat that was never going to come. The mother finds her way to Berlin. The story is told in first person "testimonies" by the people she meets along the way - the reason for this is revealed later in the book. A poignant story. 4/5.

Dissolution

2011-10-12T11:22:00.002+10:00

This fiction crime book Dissolution by C.J. Sansom was set in the time of King Henry VIII shortly after the death of Henry's wife Jane Seymour. There was a campaign to dissolve the Catholic monastries. Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer who supports the Reform is sent to an abbey to investigate the murder of a man sent there to oversee the surrender of the monastery. Shardlake takes a young companion, Mark. There are complications as others are murdered and Shardlake has to unravel the mysteries and at the same time fulfill his task to close down the monastery. These are very troubled times. It was a good story and interesting to learn more about the history that formed the background. 31/2/5

October Book Club

2011-10-04T17:09:00.004+10:00

We had a lovely evening at Robyn's place last night. She'd bought a great selection of books and, look at her delicious supper! I especially enjoyed the date cake. Bev had just returned from visiting her Mum in Zimbabwe and Liz had returned from visiting her granddaughter, who had just turned one, and family. There were a few absences - Jenny was unwell (hope she is better soon), Marilyn was visiting her Mum, Ulla was in Bali celebrating her husband's birthday and Vee was in England visiting her parents. We had some lively discussions about life in general and the books we've read and I'm looking forward to getting in to the books I've picked. I'm off to Melbourne tomorrow for the National Oral History Conference and that will be a "travel adventure" for me.

Russian Winter

2011-10-01T17:08:00.003+10:00

I very much enjoyed Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay which is set in Stalinist Russia and the mid-2000s. Former Soviet ballerina Nina Revskaya defected in the early 1950s and now living in Boston decides to auction her extensive jewellery collection for charity. A lecturer of Russian origin, Grigori Solodin, has a mysterious connection with Revskaya. He has a piece of amber jewellery that appears to be from a set that Revskaya is auctioning. The story goes back and forth, within chapters, between the earlier time when Revskaya began her career and worked her way up in the Bolshoi Ballet, her love for her husband Victor and her friends Vera and Gersh. In the modern time she is a sad old woman thinking about her past and fears learning the truth about that past. The book is well-researched and brings the past to life, particularly the terror of that time and the wonderment of discovering that the West is not the evil empire the Soviets had been made to believe. 41/2/5

Please Look After Mother

2011-09-26T10:21:00.002+10:00

This beautiful book Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin was very moving. An elderly woman becomes separated from her husband at Seoul train station and then is missing. Her family desperately try to find her, putting up flyers and searching places she might be. The story is told in different perspectives firstly in the second person by her elder daughter, then her husband and son and then by the mother herself in the first person. The reader learns about her life through these characters and the sacrifices she made for her family. Those sacrifices were taken for granted at the time she made them. Her family always came first for her. Only now that she is missing does her family appreciate the woman she was and how she influenced their lives. Highly recommended 5/5.

The Girl Who Disappeared Twice

2011-09-23T08:59:00.002+10:00

This crime novel The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane was okay. A 5 year old girl is abducted and a private investigative team join with local police and FBI to try to find her. There is a connection to the disappearance 32 years ago of the girl's mother's sister when she was a similar age. The investigators race to find the reason for both abductions and whether or not they are really connected. It was a fairly good yarn, but didn't like the writing style and some of the characters were annoying. 3/5

A Reliable Wife

2011-09-19T12:33:00.004+10:00

I enjoyed reading this "gothic" tale A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. It is set in 1907 rural Wisconsin which has a long and bitter winter. Wealthy Ralph Truitt advertises for a wife to ease the 20 year loneliness since his first wife died. Catherine Land responds to the advertisement and arrives in the depths of winter. She is motivated by greed as she realises the extent of Truitt's wealth. They marry and Truitt asks her to travel to the city and bring back his "prodigal son". There are some twists to the story and the reader wonders what the outcome will be. Both Truitt and Catherine have murky pasts, but how will that affect them now? It is a story of love, greed, revenge and redemption. A haunting tale. The author says he was profoundly influenced by the 1973 book (recently republished) Wisconsin Death Trip. 41/2/5

Fractured

2011-09-14T11:28:00.003+10:00

I very much enjoyed Fractured by Karin Slaughter. A wealthy mother returns home to find an horrific scene and a young man with a knife standing over a body. She fears for her own life and takes steps to save herself. The detective, Will Trent, arrives and reads the scene differently and realises that the woman's daughter has been kidnapped. Then follows an intriguing and suspenseful investigation into what really happened at the house and the search for the missing daughter. Trent is a great character - intense, somewhat introverted, inciteful, good at puzzling things out. He also has a secret that he is afraid of having exposed and that looks like happening the more he interacts with his new female work partner, Faith Mitchell. The reader is taken on a suspenseful ride as Trent and Mitchell try to solve the case. 41/2/5

The Wrong Mother

2011-09-11T16:56:00.002+10:00

I've enjoyed The Wrong Mother by Sophie Hannah. It was published the year before as Point of No Return (why change the title?) and it was recently on ABC1 as a two part series called "Case Sensitive" (which was a bit different to the book). Geraldine Bretherick and her daughter Lucy are found dead in their home and it appears to be a murder suicide. Her husband Mark insists Geraldine was a loving mother and would not have done this crime. A young mother, Sally, sees Mark on the news and recognises that he is not the same Mark Bretherick whom she met at a conference a year earlier and with whom she had a brief affair. Sally anonymously passes this information to the police and then begins her own investigation, the consequences of which further complicates the police investigation. 4/5

September Book Club

2011-09-06T11:59:00.002+10:00

We had another lovely evening of book club at Jenny's place last night. She had a delicious selections of treats for supper and she'd bought some good books for us. Marilyn is still overseas, but hopefully we'll see her next month and Bev is also overseas visiting her mother. Ulla told us about her wonderful holiday in Europe. Two of our ladies are soon to be grandmothers, one for the first time and the other for the fifth. We enjoyed good company and conversation and I look forward to reading the books I've selected.

Notorious Australian Women

2011-09-04T17:24:00.002+10:00

This book Notorious Australian Women by Kay Saunders was very interesting. The book told the stories of 20 women either born overseas or in Australia and who achieved notoriety or fame in Australia and in some cases internationally. Some names will be familiar e.g. Eliza Fraser, Helena Rubinstein, Lola Montez and Tilly Devine. Whether familiar or not, after reading the stories of their interesting lives the reader comes to know them and appreciate their contribution to our history. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Australian history. 4/5

Miracle Cure

2011-08-31T13:10:00.004+10:00

I enjoyed Miracle Cure by Harlan Coben which is a re-release of this book first published in 1991. Coben writes an Introduction explaining the re-release and how some aspects might be dated but despite being written in his early 20s, he's still proud of the book and made no changes. The story centres around an AIDS clinic where some patients and others involved with it are being murdered. Detective Bernstein investigates and there are many different aspects to the story and the investigation. The AIDS epidemic was still fairly new to the western world and the clinic, run by Dr Harvey Riker, is fighting for funds to find a cure. The clinic also has to fight the prejudice against the patients so the purpose of the murders appears to be to shut down the clinic. There are some twists along the way, but the final one is a big surprise. Also interesting to read a story which doesn't have mobile phones. 4/5

The Sixth Man

2011-08-31T12:58:00.002+10:00

I've read The Sixth Man by David Baldacci which featured private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. An alleged serial killer, Edgar Roy, generates a lot of interest from the FBI and Sean and Michelle are helping Edgar's solicitor to clear him. The solicitor is then murdered and then the reader embarks on a wild ride as Sean and Michelle work out who killed him. The body count mounts and the mystery deepens. There is a lot of "security intelligence" involved as Edgar has an eidetic memory and the intelligence to interpret what he sees. The whole story was far-fetched, high body count and Sean and Michelle manage to escape a number of situations which would have seen anyone else added to the body count. Fast paced but improbable, but good twist at the end. 31/2/5

In The Mood

2011-08-26T10:53:00.002+10:00

This story In The Mood by Laura Bloom is set during and immediately after World War II in Sydney, Australia. A young married woman's husband is fighting in New Guinea and she doesn't hear from him for many months and assumes he's dead. She has a brief affair with an American officer which has repercussions for her as both her husband and her lover survive the War. Catherine and her husband Robert must make major readjustments to their lives as it was with other returned soldiers and their families. However, Catherine must make some painful choices in her own readjustment. A good story, without being too sentimental. 4/5

The Ice Princess

2011-08-25T17:26:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg which is set in Sweden and opens with a particularly gruesome scene - woman, Alex, in a bath in winter, hence the title. Her childhood friend, Erica, is one of the first to find her and later "teams" up with the detective on the case, Patrik, to work out what happened to Alex. Is it suicide or murder? There is a connection to events in their school days which has some bearing on the situation. There are mysteries surrounding the events and the people involved - should the truth be told, or suppressed? Who would gain? Finally, the shocking truth is revealed. Good "murder" read. 4/5

The Life of an Unknown Man

2011-08-19T12:03:00.005+10:00

This poignant story The Life of an Unknown Man by Andrei Makine was beautifully written. A writer, Shutov, lives in Paris after leaving the Soviet Union then feels the need to return to the "new" Russia at the time Putin was President. He finds a country he does not recognise. He stays at an apartment owned by a former girlfriend which is still being renovated and is now a sumptuous building. He watches the TV and is shocked at the vulgar materialism shown e.g. dogs eating caviar. He is in St Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) and goes out to see a carnival in the city which disturbs him. He returns to the apartment and his hostess's son asks him to watch over the last tenant of the converted building to ensure he is safe before being removed in the morning. The old man is Volsky who tells Shutov about his life, which included surviving the Siege of Leningrad, the War and Stalin's purges. His main story is of his love for one woman during all that time in which music sustained them. It is a beautiful story of love, survival and resilience amidst the horror they endured. Highly recommended. 5/5

The End of the Wasp Season

2011-08-17T11:08:00.004+10:00

I very much enjoyed this disturbing murder thriller The End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina. A young woman in Scotland is brutally murdered in her home by two teenage boys. Shortly after, a millionaire in London commits suicide. We soon learn that the two events are related, but not to what extent till later. DS Alex Morrow, pregnant with twins, investigates the murder and each chapter alternates between the investigation and the story of the family of the suicide, Lars Anderson. It is a disturbing look at a dysfunctional wealthy family and the effect that dysfunction has on the lives of those outside the family. DS Morrow gradually pieces together the elements involved in the murder before the reader learns the shocking conclusion. 4/5

Inheritance

2011-08-12T12:43:00.002+10:00

I very much enjoyed Inheritance by Nicholas Shakespeare. Andy Larkham is late for his favourite teacher's funeral and stumbles in to the wrong service where there are only two other people. Surprised not to see more, he realises too late he's at the wrong funeral. He is asked to sign the attendance book and by doing so he is one of the two "attendees" between which the deceased, Chris Madigan's fortune is divided. Andy meets Madigan's daughter, Jeanine, who arrived too late to sign the attendance book and Andy enjoys his new found wealth before deciding to learn more about his mysterious benefactor. It's a story of love, betrayal and lost opportunities. Highly recommended. 4/5

Past the Shallows

2011-08-11T17:26:00.003+10:00

I very much enjoyed Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett, a debut Australian author. The novel is set on the coast of southern Tasmania in about 1980s. Three brothers, Joe, Miles and Harry deal with their embittered father as he tries to make a living fishing for abalone. Joe had left the family and had been living with his grandfather until his recent death, leaving Miles and Harry with Dad. There is a mystery as to what happened to their mother, killed in a car crash. Teenagers Joe and Miles surf to escape their unhappy lives and 8 year-old Harry potters about on the shore. He eventually befriends a recluse, George, who has a lovable dog. There are fearful undercurrents in this story and the reader is tossed around on this sea anxiously awaiting the outcome, so difficult to put down as we want to learn the fate of these boys, yet dread to. This book was reviewed on First Tuesday Book Club this week. A hauntingly powerful novel. 41/2/5

When River Was Roadway

2011-08-09T17:18:00.003+10:00

I enjoyed reading When River Was Roadway - Pioneer Farmers of Brisbane's Seventeen Mile Rocks District by Meg Gordon. This has been published by Centenary Suburbs Historical Society to which I belong and I designed the cover. The book focuses on the 19th century settlement of the current Centenary suburbs including descriptions of the pioneer community, the countries of origin of settlers, lifestyle including transport, community institutions, school, and churches. It also includes a history of the pioneers’ farming activities, the changing pattern of land ownership, changing sizes of land holdings and land usage. About 2/3rds of the book has profiles of pioneer families showing their land holdings and community involvement. It is quite a comprehensive work and it was interesting to learn the most of the farmers came from Germany and Ireland (Protestants). Most of them made a substantial contribution to their new country and embraced the opportunities presented to them. As I read the details of their lives, I couldn't help but wonder at the stamina and determination demonstrated by these people, particularly the women. This book is recommended to anyone with an historical interest in this area. 4/5

August Book Club

2011-08-04T09:10:00.003+10:00

I hosted book club at my place this month (see post below for list of books I bought). It was a cool evening but warm inside and we all had a lovely time. Penny announced she will be a grandmother for the first time and Jenny will be one for the fifth time. That's wonderful news for both of them. Bev will be visiting her mother in Zimbabwe next month. She and Kath recently celebrated birthdays with Bev receiving a Kindle for hers. They would be great for travelling, so you don't have to carry a pile of books. We missed Ulla who is enjoying a holiday in Paris, Marilyn is in Hong Kong, and Robyn was visiting her mother. I've picked some good books to read for the month and am looking forward to getting in to them.

The Lake of Dreams

2011-08-01T16:46:00.002+10:00

I quite enjoyed The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards which is set in America. Lucy Jarrett returns to her childhood home for a visit and the past catches up to her in a number of ways. She re-connects with a former boyfriend and she is torn between him and the boyfriend she left behind in Japan, who plans to join her later. She discovers some hidden letters that reveal aspects of her ancestry of which she knew nothing and as she explores further she discovers family secrets which had been covered up, literally. She confronts the truth about her father's untimely death and wonders how these discoveries will affect her life and those around her. I found this a bit "soap-opera-ish" at times, but it's not a bad yarn. 31/2/5

New books for August

2011-07-28T17:14:00.002+10:00

I've enjoyed selecting and buying the new books for Book Club this month:

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick – set in rural Wisconsin in 1907 a man has advertised for a ‘simple honest’ woman to become his wife.

Jamrach’s Menagerie by Carol Birch – set in 1857 London, Jaffy Brown is running along a street in the East End when he is confronted by an escaped circus animal. He is saved by Mr Jamrach and Brown develops a friendship with him and goes on a nautical adventure to the Dutch East Indies.

In the Company of Angels by Thomas E. Kennedy – an escapee from Pinochet’s regime and a survivor of an abusive marriage meet in Copenhagen. They begin to heal, forgive and trust themselves to love.

Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin - a poignant tale set in Korea. An elderly woman becomes separated from her husband on a crowded train and disappears. As her children and husband search we begin to discover the desires, heartaches and secrets she’s harboured within.

The Life of an Unknown Man by Andrei Makine – an elderly survivor of the Siege of Leningrad tells his story to a young writer.

One Day by David Nicholls – from 1988 two students Emma and Dexter resolve to meet one day each year when they finish college.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan – story revolves around several key characters and their friends, lovers, relatives and colleagues, spanning several decades and is constantly engaged with the music of each period. Won 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes – set in 1960s and also the present. A journalist finds a letter written in 1960 asking a lover to leave her husband.

The End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina – a millionaire commits suicide leaving behind wife and two children. Meanwhile a young woman is found savagely murdered. What is the connection between these two events?

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay – a former Russian ballerina now living in Boston looks back on her live in Stalinist Russia and tries to forget the terrible past. But two people will not let the past rest as they unravel a literary mystery that may change all their lives.

The Midwife’s Confession by Diane Chamberlain – a woman commits suicide leaving behind a hidden letter which reveals a terrible secret that challenges everything her friends thought they knew and changes their lives.

The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna – in a Sierra Leone hospital a man looks back on his past when desire drove him to acts of betrayal. A young surgeon in the hospital is trying to forget the pain of love and the torments of the civil war there. A British psychologist tries to heal them both.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett – a scientist in Brazil is developing a revolutionary new drug but refuses to report on her progress. A researcher sent to investigate is apparently killed and a friend of both tries to track down the truth.

Inheritance by Nicholas Shakespeare – a man is running late for his former teacher’s funeral. Life is hard for him at the moment but the funeral leads to unexpected circumstances. The story explores the temptations of unanticipated wealth.

Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones – a hotel maid working at an upmarket hotel in Tunisia is swept off her feet by a German tourist, becomes pregnant and her baby is taken and trafficked back to Europe. She begins her journey as an illegal immigrant as she searches for her baby.

The Sandalwood Treet

2011-07-27T16:44:00.003+10:00

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark which was set in India in two different times. An American couple Evie and Martin go to India with their 5-year old son in 1947 so Martin can study the effects of Partition. India is thrown in to turmoil when Partition is brought forward and Moslems and Hindus scramble to their British designated areas. Evie and Martin are struggling with their marriage as Martin is haunted by his European wartime memories and refuses to discuss them with Evie. So Evie is left to find her own interests and then discovers some correspondence hidden behind a brick in the wall of their house. The letters date back to the 1850s when the "Indian revolution" was just beginning and as she probes further through records of the time she finds a story of forbidden love. The author beautifully blended the two time periods, two love stories, two significant periods in Indian history. Highly recommended. 5/5

The Countesses of Castello

2011-07-23T17:12:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed this small easy to read book The Countesses of Castello by Milena Agus (translated from Italian). Three sisters, Noemi, Maddalena and Countess Ricotta live in their crumbling ancestral home, now divided into separate apartments, with some sold off. Noemi and Countess Ricotta are looking for love and Maddalena enjoys a loving marriage but yearns for a child. They each have very different personalities - Noemi a very serious lawyer intent on repurchasing the rest of their building and thinks she's too old for love. Maddalena is very passionate and has a beautifully erotic relationship with her husband. Countess Ricotta - so named by her Nanny for her clumsiness is a single mother to a young son. This is a delightful, fun read. 31/2/5

Ghost Child

2011-07-23T16:53:00.002+10:00

This novel Ghost Child by Caroline Overington was an unusual murder story. The author has twice won the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism and that experience seems to have been brought to this, her debut novel. Five year old Jake dies in mysterious circumstances. He is one of four children - 6 year old Lauren, 3 year old Harley and toddler Hayley. They live in a "welfare house" with their single mother and her latest "deadbeat" boyfriend. The parents are convicted and imprisoned for Jake's murder and the story is told in the first person by a number of the characters involved including the investigating detective, the welfare worker, foster parents, reporter, and the children as they look back on the 20 years since the crime. The reader learns what happened to the children and the tragic truth behind Jake's death. 4/5

The Glass Rainbow

2011-07-19T17:27:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke which is a murder thriller. Detective Dave Robicheaux and his private detective mate Clete Purcell investigate the murders of two teenage girls. Dave's investigation is compromised when his daughter, Alafair, goes out with a man who seems to be connected with criminals and their activities. The story is set in the deep south where old money still talks and little has changed since the "plantation" days when the races were deeply divided. The story has many "thrills and spills" as the investigators try to figure out the perpetrators and their motives as the body count climbs. Some parts were a little predictable and the ending a little unsatisfactory, but it was a good ride. 4/5

The Tiger's Wife

2011-07-15T11:31:00.007+10:00

I very much enjoyed this novel The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht which looks at the life of a man through the eyes of his granddaughter. The story is set in the Balkans from pre-World War II till after the more recent war in that troubled area. Natalia is a doctor, following in her grandfather's medical footsteps. She is on her way to treat orphans when she learns of her grandfather's death. They had always been close and she had listened to the stories of his childhood and early life and shared his interest in tigers at the local zoo. He told her stories of "the tiger's wife" who looked after a tiger that had escaped the zoo during the bombing in World War II and he had a fascination with his copy of The Jungle Book. He met "the deathless man" and wagered his precious book with him. There are so many interesting and well-rounded characters in this beautifully written book from this first time author (won 2011 Orange Prize). Highly recommended. 5/5

22 Britannia Road

2011-07-11T17:30:00.003+10:00

I very much enjoyed 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson which was set in England immediately after World War II. Janusz Nowak escaped from Poland during the War making his way to England where he joined the RAF. After the War he finds his wife Silvana and son Aurek are in a refugee camp and sends for them to join him in his new home at 22 Britannia Road. The reunion is difficult and Silvana and Janusz's stories of their wartime experiences are told in "flashback" chapters. They are no longer the same people who fell in love before the War. Many secrets can form as there is no guarantee they will be alive at the end. As the daughter of a Polish refugee who came to Australia, I could relate to some of the stories. There is often pain and joy in surviving where others did not. Highly recommended reading for this first time author and I look forward to reading more of her work. 41/2/5

A Beautiful Lie

2011-07-08T17:03:00.003+10:00

I enjoyed A Beautiful Lie by Diane Chamberlain which is another story where the past catches up with the present. Young woman, Corinne, learns that her mother Eve is not the person she thought she was. Many years before in "another life" Eve as a teenager, with a different identity as CeeCee, is infatuated with an older man and agrees to to be involved with the kidnapping of the Governor's wife. She keeps the wife in a remote cabin waiting to hear from her "boyfriend" but circumstances take a tragic turn when the wife gives birth. A good story. Reader beware - this book has two other titles - "The Lost Daughter" and "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes", see also Diane Chamberlain's Blog. 4/5

July Book Club

2011-07-05T16:19:00.003+10:00

Had another lovely evening at book club last night, hosted by Kathy. She's bought some great new books to read as well as providing a delicious supper for us. I so enjoy getting together with these women every month to share what we've been doing and telling about the books we've read. We were missing a few last night with Marilyn in Hong Kong, Ulla being unwell and Robyn also not able to come. A continuing discussion topic was the ongoing and unbelievable payroll fiasco that has embroiled one of our government departments, which has directly affected some of us. We are constantly amazed by the incompetence of government (though we shouldn't be!). Anyway, not to spoil our evening which we all enjoyed. Next month it's my turn to host so I've got all the books, so I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'll also be buying the new books this month - so many good ones to choose from.

Rescue

2011-07-04T16:36:00.002+10:00

I've read Rescue by Anita Shreve, a story covering about 20 years in a family's life. Webster, a young paramedic, meets Sheila when she is in a car accident after drinking. They develop a relationship and Sheila falls pregnant. She is trying to escape her own "demons" mainly in the form of alcohol and eventually they separate, leaving Webster to bring up his daughter, Rowan, on his own. Will history repeat itself? All a bit soap-opera-ish?? Anyway, an easy read. 3/5

Left Neglected

2011-07-02T17:03:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed this novel Left Neglected by Lisa Genova as I could relate to a lot of it with my present situation. Sarah Nickerson is on her way to work when, looking for her mobile phone, she has a serious accident which leaves her brain damaged with a condition called "left neglect". This means her brain doesn't recognise anything on her left side, including her own left body. Sarah had been a "supermum", juggling high powered career and family but then she is forced to literally slow down and reassess her life priorities. Her estranged mother re-enters her life and there are new challenges for her husband Bob as well. This is beautifully written as the author describes the loving care given Sarah by her husband. 4/5

Blood Atonement

2011-06-30T10:54:00.006+10:00

I found Blood Atonement by Dan Waddell an interesting murder story. The author combines this crime with genealogy and it makes a good mix. DCI Grant Foster investigates a number of murders that turn out to be related (literally). He discovers the murder victims have a common ancestor and has genealogist Nigel Barnes help trace other relations. Nigel's search takes him to the Mormon "capital" in Utah where the motive is found. The story gives the reader an insight into modern genealogy and the Mormon religion, which are significant factors in this investigation. 4/5

Moon Tiger

2011-06-24T16:46:00.003+10:00

I enjoyed this novel, Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively, which has been recently re-published (first published in 1987, when it won the Booker prize). Claudia Hampton is dying in hospital where she proclaims to nursing staff that she is going to write a "history of the world". The medical staff discover that she was "somebody", a writer of history. Claudia is a wonderful character, very strong, opinionated, unconventional. During the War she was a war correspondent and in this story reminiscences about that important time in her life. Other characters in her life are her lovers, her daughter and her sister-in-law. However, it is her relationship with her brother which is one of the most important for her. The story passes from first to third person, past to present. This is beautifully written as Claudia's life and character are explored. 5/5

The Brutal Art

2011-06-20T17:06:00.001+10:00

I enjoyed The Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman. Most of the story is told in the first person by Ethan Muller a wealthy art dealer and descendant of a very wealthy family. He is estranged from his father so his father's assistant, Tony, deals with Ethan. Tony shows Ethan some unusual and talented artwork which has been found in an abandoned apartment in one of the Muller's buildings. Ethan sees the potential value and exhibits the work, though little is known about the artist other than his name. The work is a great success and sells very well. A part of the work is published in the newspaper and Ethan is contacted by a former homicide policeman who recognises the faces of the children drawn on the piece. Ethan then sets out to discover the mystery behind the artwork and its artist. The book is well structured as it tells another part of the story in the form of third person "interludes" dating back to the 19th century where the reader learns the history of the Mullers. As the story draws to its conclusion the reader learns the truth and the current story and final interlude comes together. 41/2/5

Caleb's Crossing

2011-06-16T09:17:00.007+10:00

I quite enjoyed Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks but not as much as I'd anticipated. Set in mid-17th century Massachusetts area, it is a fictional story based around Caleb, who was actually the first native American to graduate from Harvard. The story is told by "Bethia" a fictional character who meets Caleb as a child and encourages him to read and write. Caleb epitomises the clash of cultures as he is torn between two worlds. The English gradually take over with a particularly severe brand of "Christianity" which has serious consequences for everyone. The tragedy of loss of land and culture so common with colonisation is played out in this story. 4/5

Stasiland

2011-06-09T12:21:00.006+10:00

I've read Stasiland by Anna Funder which I found very interesting and disturbing. The author (an Australian) travelled to East Germany after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and German reunification. She investigated the role of the secret police, the Stasi, in the former East Germany. She spoke to several people who were affected by the Stasi and even to Stasi officers themselves to gain an understanding of the "system" under which the East German people lived. It is a fascinating account which reads almost like fiction it is so incredible. The people whose lives were ruined through major and minor "offences" and were constantly watched, their fate being decided by the Stasi. They peered into the the minutiae of peoples' lives to a laughable degree, but they took it very seriously. She also met Stasi officers, some who had become disillusioned with their roles and others who still justified the necessity of keeping out the influence of the western "enemy". She met the "puzzle" men and women who worked on piecing together Stasi files, shredded in haste as the collapse became inevitable. This is compulsive reading for an understanding of a regime which till 1989 had complete control of its people. 5/5

June Book Club

2011-06-09T12:21:00.003+10:00

We had a lovely book club meeting last Monday at Bev's place. She had bought some great books and I'm looking forward to getting in to the ones I've picked. We were all there except Liz who is visiting her granddaughter and family interstate. Kathy took three of us to Bev's place using her friend TOM and he got us there and back without getting lost. Bev put on a splendid supper with the most beautiful tea set. She had obviously been very busy producing the delicacies and we had a great evening of giggles, conversation and good company.

Mezza Italiana

2011-06-06T13:34:00.004+10:00

I've quite enjoyed Mezza Italiana by Zoe Boccabella. It is a memoir/family history which is written with passion for her Italian heritage. As the daughter of an Italian father, Boccabella did not embrace her heritage until she came of age. As a teenager in the 1980s she was embarrassed by her Italian grandparents, especially when they spoke loudly in public. So she resisted, wanting to be more "Australian". However, when she went to her ancestral village, Fossa in the Abruzzo region she was enchanted. She stayed in the family home and shared her experience with her partner (later husband) Roger who became a greater Italophile than she was. Boccabella was indeed fortunate to find such a man who fitted in so well with her family and enjoyed living in Fossa. This book is well researched and tells the history of her family as well as the Abruzzo region. The importance of food as part of the Italian culture is a constant thread throughout the book. Her grandparents and great grandparents came to Queensland and had property in New Farm, so for Brisbaneites there is a local flavour as well as being poignantly "up-to-date", mentioning the 2011 floods. 4/5

Such a Long Journey

2011-05-31T09:50:00.002+10:00

First published in 1991 when it was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, this lovely story Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry is very well written. Set in in India in the late 1960s, the Noble family live in a flat in a block where there are a number of colourful characters. The head of the house, Gustad Noble, works in a bank and struggles to maintain a good lifestyle for his family, wife and three children. It is a time when there is a lot of political turmoil and corruption. Gustad had grown up with his family who had been quite wealthy, but later fell on hard times. Nevertheless, Gustad maintains his integrity in the face of corruption and does his best for his family and friends. This book was a lovely "journey". 4/5

Last Dance with Valentino

2011-05-25T10:22:00.002+10:00

I've enjoyed Last Dance with Valentino by Daisy Waugh. This is a fictional love story based around the true story of Rudolph Valentino. Jenny meets Rudy shortly after they have migrated to America in 1916, when they fall in love. Many obstacles are put in their way which makes a good story (written in the first person by "Jenny"). In 1926 the story takes a different path as Rudolph's film career has taken off. It was interesting to learn about the film industry at that time. The story is very well written and the reader can reflect on "what might have been", and the twist at the end is very good - is it real or not? 4/5

Operation Napoleon

2011-05-20T16:21:00.002+10:00

I've read Operation Napoleon by Arnaldur Indridason which was a mystery with lots of murders set in Iceland. A plane crashes on an Icelandic glacier shortly before the end of World War II - on its way to where? Over 50 years later, the Americans see a smudge on a satellite picture which shows the plane and sends a team to investigate as the plane holds a secret they do not want exposed. A young Icelandic woman, Kristin, receives a call from her brother who is part of a group visiting the area where the plane was found and is cut off after he tells her there are soldiers in the area. Kristin then sets out to investigate and find her brother. She becomes involved in a series of "unfortunate incidents" along the way as the puzzle becomes almost clear. The author evokes the freezing landscape of this place very well but I was disappointed in the story. It is obvious from the timing of the plane crash and the book's title what the Americans were up to, but then did they or didn't they? Kristin was a silly woman, completely reckless and unconcerned about the havoc her actions would cause. I've read another of this author's books which I enjoyed so I was left disappointed by this one. 3/5

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

2011-05-15T11:22:00.003+10:00

I very much enjoyed The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot which tells the remarkable story of cancer cells removed from Lacks' body before she died of cancer in 1951. The book reads like a fictional story, but it is one of those cases where fact is stranger than fiction. Until Lacks' cells were removed and multiplied, scientists were unable to successfully grow human cells that could be used for many experiments. The cells would grow to a certain extent then died. However, Lacks' cells were very different and continued to multiply and were used for developing vaccinations, including for polio. They were also sent to outer space, tested with nuclear bombs. They are now so vast in medical laboratories around the world there would be equivalent cells to build several human bodies. This fascinating story tells of one of the great breakthroughs in medical science, but most importantly, the author has brought Henrietta Lacks to life. She tells us about her life and that of her children. She was a young black woman who left behind five children when she died. The book is extensively researched by Skloot who is a science journalist. She very skillfully tells the human story as well as the science one. Highly recommended. 41/2/5

May Book Club

2011-05-11T10:40:00.002+10:00

We enjoyed a very pleasant evening at Ulla's place on Monday night. As usual she prepared a delicious supper and it was great to be in good company. A couple of our club were missing - Kathy on holiday in NZ and Marilyn in Hong Kong. Hope they're both having a good time. Carmen told us about her holiday in England last month and Ulla had been in Bali. We're a well travelled bunch. We have lots of great new books to read and I'm looking forward to working my way through them - so many books - never enough time.

Just Me

2011-05-09T13:59:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed Just Me by Sheila Hancock which is the follow up to her book The Two of Us (which I haven't read). Sheila writes of her new life as a widow following the death of her husband John Thaw. She is in her 70s and discovering more about herself and her family history. She decides she is not afraid to visit places she enjoyed with her husband and she deliberately goes outside her comfort zone. It is a beautiful story written with honesty and love as she continues to remember her treasured married life. It is not a "sad" story told self-pityingly. She says "I must not push away memories of John just because they might make me cry, because that way I will lose the joy as well as the pain." Recommended. 4/5

The Man in the Shed

2011-05-03T09:32:00.002+10:00

This book The Man in the Shed by Lloyd Jones is a collection of short stories set in New Zealand, where the author lives. The stories are mainly about dysfunctional families and some a little weird. I didn't like all the stories but there were a few that were good. A good short story usually has a punch line at the end, but this didn't happen with most of these stories. 3/5

Marrying the Mistress

2011-04-30T17:07:00.002+10:00

I quite liked this story, Marrying the Mistress by Joanna Trollope, though I didn't expect to given the storyline. Judge Guy Stockdale has been having an affair for seven years with Merrion (young enough to be his daughter) and decides to leave Laura, his wife of 40 years to marry Merrion. There are many complications. Laura fights to keep her house using her elder lawyer son, Simon, for legal advice which upsets Simon's family. Guy and Merrion find their previous "future fantasy" is not playing out as they'd expected. 4/5

Bad Hair Days

2011-04-26T10:36:00.001+10:00

This inspirational book, Bad Hair Days by Pamela Bone, was very good. Pamela was a highly respected journalist for The Age, a Melbourne newspaper. When she returned from assignment in Africa she became very ill and was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, which is a terminal cancer. She discusses her attitude to her illness and also her feelings about death and dying. She tells about her opinions which were published in the newspaper and also her news story reports. She was in remission when she wrote the book, which was published in 2007. It is not a "poor me" story but she speaks frankly about our society's attitude to dying. She concludes her book with a "very simple and very profound quote": 'yes, you are going to die, but until you do, you are alive.' So that's what she did. She died in 2008, aged 68 and seems she had the death she had hoped for. See The Age story. 4/5

The Rembrandt Affair

2011-04-23T12:43:00.003+10:00

I've finished The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva and am glad to have done so (too long). A Rembrandt painting is stolen from a restorer who is murdered during the theft. An Israeli spy, Gabriel Allon, is asked to find it. In the process Gabriel finds much more than a painting. There are links to the Holocaust and then in the "current" day, links to Iran developing its nuclear weapons capability. So there are lots of baddies and the "goodies" - Israeli spy network, British and American intelligence agencies. Spy stories are not my favourite genre, but it was a fair read. Some interesting historical information and about the art theft trade in the Author's Note at the end. 31/2/5

A Time of Mourning

2011-04-17T16:55:00.004+10:00

I enjoyed A Time of Mourning by Christobel Kent which is set in Florence. One Tuesday three events take place - a former policeman, Sandro Cellini, begins his first day as a private detective; an elderly Jewish man, Claudio, commits suicide; and a young English art student, Veronica, disappears. Cellini is hired to find out the truth about the last two events. As the days pass, it becomes increasingly unlikely that Veronica will be found alive. Cellini probes Claudio's life and the art school that Veronica attended with her friend and roommate, Iris. There are enough twists and turns to make this a good page turning yarn. 4/5

The People's Train

2011-04-15T17:28:00.002+10:00

I've read The People's Train by Tom Keneally which was interesting. There are two parts to the books, each part is told by a different character. The first, Artem Samsurov, is a charismatic Russian living in Brisbane early in the 20th century. He has escaped Tsarist Russia and later returns when the Revolution is under way. The second part is told from his friend, Paddy Dykes' perspective who goes to Russia with him to be part of the Revolution. This is a very interesting story based on the historical events of the Revolution. Keneally has based Samsurov on a real person. The history of that era in Brisbane is also fascinating, however, I doubt the book would have appeal beyond those who are interested in this historical time. 31/2/5

April Book Club

2011-04-05T17:22:00.002+10:00

We had a terrific meeting at Book Club last night. All of us were there for the first time in ages. One of our ladies suffered in the recent floods here and is pleased that her house has been repaired now. Our hostess had some delicious goodies for our supper and we all enjoyed her hospitality and chatting with each other. We've got some great new books to read. Happy reading everyone.

Amandine

2011-04-04T11:54:00.002+10:00

I liked Amandine by Marlena de Blasi which is set in France in the early 1930s. A baby girl is left to be brought up in a convent. She is named Amandine and as she grows she questions her parentage and yearns to find her mother. She is tolerated by the Mother Superior because Amandine was left well provided for as was the convent. The War intervenes and changes everything as Amandine and her guardian, Solange, try to go to Solange's mother some distance away. Amandine is a lovely young girl and has been well brought up as a well mannered and cultured girl. She is also headstrong and knows what she wants. A good story. 31/2/5

The Distant Hours

2011-03-30T09:37:00.002+10:00

I've read The Distant Hours by Kate Morton which, like her earlier books, has a mystery from the past that may be solved in the present. Edie's mother, Meredith, receives a long lost letter posted by Juniper Blythe 50 years before after a bag of mail is discovered in a former postman's home. Meredith appears shocked by the letter's content but does not immediately share it with Edie. Edie finds herself drawn to the mystery of the letter and visits Juniper's home to discover more unsolved mysteries including the disappearance of a lover and the origin of Edie's favourite book, The Mud Man. All the elements come together at the end as the reader learns the truth. I think this book was too long and not as good as Morton's earlier books. 31/2/5

The Leopard

2011-03-22T10:03:00.003+10:00

I didn't enjoy The Leopard by Jo Nesbo as much as his previous five books. The murders are very cruel and sadistic. The opening chapter's murder really hits hard, leaving the reader with an horrific image. Inspector Harry Hole is dragged back to Oslo from Hong Kong where he has gone to try and forget the Snowman case and the breakup with his beloved Rakel. He reluctantly returns home and is then embroiled in a power struggle within the police as to who will be responsible for investigating murders. Meanwhile the murders continue and no graphic detail is denied the reader. Harry thinks he's figured out the identity of the murderer but he is led down different paths (as is the reader) before all is revealed. This is a suspenseful story, but the terrible violence of the murders is unnecessary and a turn-off. 4/5.

The Snowman

2011-03-14T14:18:00.002+10:00

I've enjoyed this gripping thriller The Snowman by Jo Nesbo. This is another Inspector Harry Hole story. Harry investigates the gruesome murders and disappearances of women dating back many years and at first he is unable to find a connection. Harry also gets a new sidekick, Katrine Bratt, who is efficient, very attractive and mysterious. There is usually a snowman in the vicinity of the murders and the victims are the mothers of young children. Harry is a flawed character and his superiors forgive his transgressions and his alcoholism because he is a good detective. However, even Harry is sometimes led down the wrong path before he backtracks and finds the correct one. This is a gripping ride before we learn the murderer's identity and his motive. 41/2/5

The Redeemer

2011-03-10T17:28:00.002+10:00

I very much enjoyed The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo which is another detective Harry Hole thriller. This is what I thought was the 4th in the Harry Hole series, but discovered today there two more before The Redbreast (which I thought was the first). Each of these books can "stand alone" as there is always a major case to be solved, but the series has a couple of threads running through the series which can be better understood if read in order. In this book Hole investigates the contract killing murder of a Salvation Army officer. He discovers the murder has a connection to a crime several years earlier and it seems the murder may be a "payback" killing done by a "redeemer". The story is very involved as gradually the pieces of the puzzle are put together correctly. There is corruption, murder and some romance. Highly recommended and I'm soon to start the next in the series The Snowman. 41/2/5

Voices from the Pacific War - Bluejackets Remember

2011-03-06T12:41:00.005+10:00

This collection of oral histories Voices from the Pacific War - Bluejackets Remember by Bruce M. Petty is very interesting and insightful. Petty interviewed a wide variety of American navy personnel about their experiences in World War II. They have different backgrounds, but many joined to escape the poverty of the Depression. They tell their stories well and illustrate with their voices the horrors they experienced. The sometimes graphic detail was confronting. A number of the interviewees were at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked and describe the shock and sense of unreality they felt at first. This is an important "history" book which shows the importance of the work Petty and other oral historians are doing to capture these stories. Highly recommended. 4/5

The Reversal

2011-02-26T11:08:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed The Reversal by Michael Connelly which is our second Crime Club book of the year. I'd gone off Michael Connelly, but this one was quite good. He's combined his characters Detective Harry Bosch (his chapters told in third person) and lawyer Micky Haller (his chapters in first person). Normally a defence lawyer, Haller takes up the challenge to prosecute a murderer, Jessup, convicted and imprisoned 24 years previously. The new trial is meant to prove his innocence and his lawyer tries to prove it using some dubious means. However, as the trial unfolds Haller finds he is enjoying his cross to the "other side" as he is convinced Jessup was rightly convicted. Now it is up to the new jury to decide. Once the trial starts, the suspense builds up as Jessup is out on bail and being followed by the police. The conclusion is shocking and for me unsatisfactory, but it was a good ride. 4/5

The Ballad of Desmond Kale

2011-02-23T12:35:00.007+10:00

I've finished The Ballad of Desmond Kale by Roger McDonald and it was a hard slog at times. It won the Miles Franklin in 2006 so my expectations were high. It is set in colonial Australia where breeding the right sheep was as good as finding gold and there was fierce competition. The main character was not Desmond Kale, who figured in only small doses, which made him almost mythical. He found a place well beyond settlement to breed his ship following a falling out with his "partner" the flogging Magistrate/Parson Stanton. Stanton was autocratic in his treatment of those he despised and he tried many means to find the now "escaped convict" Kale who was a good sheep breeder. Stanton goes to London to procure maps taken there of the so far unsettled area where he believes Kale to be. There are other characters around Stanton, but he is the main one - ruthless, hypocritical and desperate. However, I was disappointed and at times bored with this story, which doesn't really amount to much. 21/2/5

Dialogues of the Dead

2011-02-15T15:14:00.004+10:00

I very much enjoyed Dialogues of the Dead by Reginald Hill. It is a Dalziel and Pascoe story as these two detectives try to find a serial killer who writes a story about each murder and sends it to the local library. The killer and some of the other characters are obsessed with words and there are many puzzles that require solving. The author has taken this further with puzzling words through the book. Have a copy of a dictionary by your side. There are a number of characters in this story any of whom could be the murderer, but they're crossed off the list when they become victims. The murderer is not revealed to the reader though suspicion falls on to one of the characters well before that suspicion is confirmed. The whole book is clever, particularly the end but its end is unsatisfying for me. 4/5

The Importance of Being Kennedy

2011-02-15T12:31:00.004+10:00

I enjoyed this novel, The Importance of Being Kennedy by Laurie Graham, based on the nanny to the Kennedy children. Nora gets the job of looking after baby Joseph Kennedy in 1917 and remains there after the last of the Kennedy children are born. She is a witness to history and she has an interesting take on the family. Rose Kennedy (the children's mother) is portrayed as being more concerned with the family's place in society than with the children. 31/2/5

Rain Gods

2011-01-27T17:43:00.004+10:00

I very much enjoyed Rain Gods by James Lee Burke. He is a great thriller writer and his books haven't disappointed me yet. Set in the American south, the local sheriff investigates the murder of a group of Thai women smuggled in to the country. There are some great characters including the sociopathic murderer, The Preacher, who kills according to his own "code". Sheriff Holland, and the FBI pursue the murderers of the women and it's a suspenseful ride. 4/5

Hell's Corner

2011-01-21T17:01:00.002+10:00

I've read Hell's Corner by David Baldacci and did not enjoy it. It is the latest of the "Camel Club" stories, but most members don't feature much. Oliver Stone witnesses a bomb going off in a park across the road from the White House and he investigates with the help of a British MI6 agent, Mary Chapman. There are so many twists and turns, red herrings etc. before the perpetrator is finally revealed. You may enjoy the story if you can suspend belief, but I found it all a bit silly. 3/5

Darra by Decade 1820-2010

2011-01-16T10:23:00.005+10:00

As a member of our local historical society, I enjoyed reading Darra by Decade 1820-2010 by Vicki Mynott from the nearby Richlands, Inala & Suburbs History Group Inc. The chapters are divided into decades and we then learn about what happened in each decade. Darra's location was strategically important in its development, about midway between Brisbane and Ipswich. As Darra is so close to the Centenary Suburbs, a lot of the story of Darra crosses into or touches on the Centenary Suburbs, particularly in the early times. It was interesting to read how various places were named and about some of the characters that shaped Darra. If you live in this area, I highly recommend this book which you can order here. 4/5

Long Time Coming

2011-01-10T10:54:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard. It's set in two time periods - 1940 and 1976. Eldritch Swan is released from an Irish prison after 36 years on the condition he does not reveal why he was there. He meets up with his nephew Stephen Swan and together they set out to prove an art fraud happened in 1940. The granddaughter, Rachel, is obsessed with knowing what happened to her grandfather's valuable art collection which is now owned by others, though the provenance is not proved. There is an inevitable romantic aspect to the story. Eldritich's mysterious imprisonment is linked to the British secret service, Irish nationalism, German intelligence. It's a good yarn. 4/5

The Burning Wire

2011-01-07T17:32:00.002+10:00

I've read The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver which features his very clever quadriplegic detective, Lincoln Rhyme. It galloped along okay with twists and turns as Rhyme and his team investigate who is trying to shut down the New York electricity grid. The "perp" seems very cluey about electricity and the reader learns something as well. He issues demands and when they are not met he murders people using electricity in some truly awful ways. 31/2/5

61 Hours

2011-01-01T10:49:00.003+10:00

I quite enjoyed 61 Hours by Lee Child which is another Jack Reacher story. I'd avoided him for a while because Reacher is "too good to be true", but the reader needs to suspend belief for the duration and enjoy the ride. Reacher is stranded in a freezing snowbound town in South Dakota and helps the local police investigate murders and protect a witness who saw a drug dealer transaction. The ruthless crime boss, Plato, behind the murders and the drug dealing has far reaching tentacles to ensure his bidding is done. We learn a lot about Reacher's background in this book (if we care). I thought it was unrealistic that Reacher didn't work out who the killer was long before he did. Throughout the story there is a countdown of the 61 hours, a countdown to what we wonder, but don't learn till the climactic and unsatisfactory end. The reader turns the page at the end to be shown the most irritating words which can be seen at the end of a TV program or a book - "to be continued". The next book is Worth Dying For but is a "stand alone" which, according to a review, doesn't reveal what happened to Reacher in 61 Hours until about midway through. 4/5

Recipe for Life

2010-12-28T17:07:00.002+10:00

This story Recipe for Life by Nicky Pellegrino was a pleasant read dealing with two young Englishwomen, Alice and Leila. As is expected from the title, food plays a major part in this story. It is told from two perspectives - Alice tells her story in the first person and in Italy an older woman, Babetta, has her story told in third person, chapter by chapter. Alice and Leila go to a little village in Italy and it is there the two stories are intertwined. Alice can't seem to decide for herself how her life will play out and tends to take the "easy" way, letting others decide for her. The years go by and eventually Alice makes her own decisions. This was a "nice" romantic story, with the village itself as an important character. A rainy day book. 31/2/5

Nemesis

2010-12-23T17:28:00.005+10:00

I very much enjoyed Nemesis by Jo Nesbo (even though I read it out of order). It is the second part of a trilogy - The Redbreast, Nemesis and The Devil's Star. They can be read independently, but there is a thread running through them which is finally resolved in the third book, so I recommend you read them in order. Harry Hole investigates the apparent suicide of an ex-girlfriend - was she murdered? The other investigation relates to an armed bank robbery where a female teller is murdered. This turns out not to be a simple investigation either. 4/5

The Long Song

2010-12-17T17:30:00.003+10:00

I enjoyed The Long Song by Andrea Levy which is a fictional account of the life of a female slave in Jamaica in the 19th century. July as an old woman has been asked by her son to write an account of her life which she tells us in the first and third person. She is born into slavery and later in life the slaves are freed. The book is well researched to give a true account of life in those times and it is well told. 4/5