The Queens of Crime: five women, one murder case and a chance to prove themselves

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict is a story of four women fighting for a place in literature as they race to solve a murder. It’s London, 1930, five women crime writers band together to form a second society with the goal to prove they deserve to be recognized, the Queens of Crime are Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Nagio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. How do they prove they are worthy of recognition? Solve the real life murder of May Daniels was a young English nurse who discovered during a trip to France with her friend, seemingly vanishing into thin air. When her body is discovered months later in nearby woods. There are so many questions and inconsistencies that the women know that someone is hiding something. As they get deeper into their investigation, the killer targets Dorothy Sayers with a dark secret from her past. 

The only Queen of Crime I am familiar with is Agatha Christie. I have heard of Dorothy L Sayers by name only. The other ladies I had not heard of. I was looking forward to a fictionalized story of a true story from Sayers’ life, especially her unique relationship with Agatha Christie as a professional “rival” and friend. Unfortunately, I struggled with this story. I had no interest in the murder investigation and the constant girl-power, “I can’t believe he thinks that” attitude was annoying. I was also surprised there was no author’s note at the end of the story giving some insight into the author’s inspiration or thoughts on the real women. Author’s notes are usually very insightful and add more to the story. It was disappointing not to see it there. By the end of the story, I felt I did not know more about these women. I do not recommend The Queens of Crime. 

The Queens of Crime is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

It Can't Happen Here: a cautionary tale where it certainly can!

It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis is a cautionary tale of the fragility of democracy and an alarming look at how extreme politics can undo the foundation of America. It is 1936 and over the last seven years, the Great Depression has left little hope for the American people. With little hope, Americans are looking for a leader to help them out of the economic tragedy. Who could that be? Newspaperman Doremus Jessup thinks himself a smart man, an even keeled fellow and he doesn’t get swept up in the swinging extremes of politics. When the charismatic presidential candidate Windrip gains ground, people are hoping he can bring prosperity back to America while others are very weary at the further cost Americans will pay. As Jessup begins to question and warn people of the hidden agenda, will the people listen? What happens to those who dissent against Windrip? 

It Can’t Happen Here was written at a time when Americans were largely oblivious to Hitler’s aggressions in Europe. Lewis uses political satire to postulate a chilling tale of the rise of a President who becomes a dictator in the name of “saving the nation.” When it was published in 1935, it was called “a message to thinking Americans” and it is a message that is still needed today. The statements made in this story echo statements that are still being made today. One statement that gave me chills was “We’ll do a whole lot better when we get Communism!” Communism is communism regardless of the country. It Can’t Happen Here should be required reading along with Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm. It is a bit hard to read as the language structure is much different than ours today; however, it is as relevant today as ever. I highly recommend It Can’t Happen Here.

It Can’t Happen Here is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Woman of Light: family, discrimination and the fight for survival

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo Anstine is a multigenerational story of betrayal, love and fate of an Indigenous Chicano family in the American West. Luz “Little Light” Lopez is a tea leaf reader and laundress who lives with her Tia Maria Josie and her older brother Diego in 1930s Denver, Colorado. When Diego is run out of town by a violent white mob, she is left to fend for herself and finds herself fighting against bigotry and racism. She begins to have visions that transport her to her Indigenous homeland of the Lost Territory. She thinks back to her ancestors’ origins, how her family has been threatened and how they have survived. Luz begins to realize that it is up to her to save the family stories and ensure that they will be passed on and remembered. What will she discover about her family’s secrets and their will to survive? 

Woman of Light is beautifully written, weaving past and present together like a tapestry of one family’s heartaches and joys. It is slow paced as the story weaves in and out of time. Unfortunately, I felt no connection to Luz or her family. The story ended abruptly leaving me with a lot of questions. I did enjoy the mystical aspects of the story which added an air of mystery. However, the story still felt wanting, like something was missing. There were historical aspects of the 1930s that didn’t seem to fit into the story and out of place. For example, the constant newsreels of Bonnie and Clyde. I understand that the nation was following their exploits but how does it connect with Luz? Why would she care? If the premise of Woman of Light, I recommend giving it a read. Maybe it will speak to other readers more than it did for me. 

Woman of Light is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook. 

A Hundred Suns: an unexpected thriller

A Hundred Suns by Karin Tanabe is a story of suspense, revenge and power. The story opens in November 1933 as American Jessie Lesage is heading to the train station in Hanoi, Indochina with her husband, Victor Lesage, heir to the Michelin fortune, and their daughter, Lucie. Events quickly led to Jessie to doubt her own memories, but she knew “I wasn’t unwell. I wasn’t forgetting anything. My family had disappeared.” Rewind to September 1933 as the Lesages arrive in Hanoi from Paris as Victor is taking over management of the Michelin families rubber plantations in the French colony. Their first night in Hanoi, they take the customary trip to a club where she meets Marcelle de Fabry, the wife of the president of the chamber of commerce, Arnaud de Fabry. The two women quickly strike up a friendship. As Jessie begins to learn the area and adjust to life in the colony, strange things begin to happen, events that Jessie remembers but others claim never did. What is going on? Is Jessie slowly losing her mind? Or is someone playing a cruel trick on her?

A Hundred Suns is the type of book that you think you have figured out and with a turn of a page, you discover you had it all wrong. Ms. Tanabe slowly sets the scene and goes into great deal for the description of the locations as well as the political and social attitudes of the time. And just as you get a feel for the type of story it will be, the real action starts and once you’re on that train, its nonstop until the last page and you let out a breath! What a story! It was very intense with no clear character to cheer for or who to vilify as everyone has their reasons and arguments to justify their actions. There is so much more I wish I could discuss about book, but it would give away too many plot points. I highly recommend A Hundred Suns!

A Hundred Suns

is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

The Angel's Game: a Gothic novel of mystery and suspense

The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is another exciting mystery thriller in the heart of Barcelona in the days leading to Spanish Civil War and the dictatorship of General Franco. Told in three acts, the story follows David Martin, a young writer who becomes entangled in the mysteries of the underworld and his fight to break free.

The story opens in 1917, David Martin has led a harsh life. His mother abandoned him and his father. He is abused at the hands of his father until his father is brutally murdered in front of him.  He writes short stories for the local newspaper until he is approached to write Gothic novels. He is soon able to rent a home and he chooses a tower house which no one wants and everyone warns him against living in. He moves in anyway and he soon meets the mysterious Andreas Corelli, who commissions a book. His deal is almost too tempting to resist. He soon receives devastating news that he throws caution to the wind and agrees to write Corelli’s book. Soon strange events occur and David doesn’t know if he is going mad or if someone is playing a cruel game. He begins to research the previous owners of the house and he becomes entangled in a murder mystery which someone fights hard to keep buried. Will David find his way out? Or will he become another victim of the mysterious Andreas Corelli?

The Angel’s Game is a prequel to Zafon’s The Shadow of the Wind (another awesome book). The Angel’s Game is thrilling adventure where shadows lurk and alternative motives are everyone. Like a great Gothic novel, The Angel’s Game answers the main question of the mystery of the tower house but leaves open the question of who the mysterious Andreas Corelli is. I like that the author leaves that question to be answered by the reader. I can’t really say who I think he is without giving too many details. I highly recommend The Angel’s Game. It will have you hooked.