The Latest Reading from Flaxmere Library Book Chat

 At the latest session of Flaxmere Library Book Chat we began with a few of feel-good novels - something cheering in between the grittier mystery and suspense novels.  

The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie is about a kitten rescued from the slums of New Delhi, and in the Buddhist sanctuary that is her new home, there are lots of interesting adjustments. For instance what happens when the cat catches a mouse. “Instead of trying to change the world, changing the way we experience the world is the key to true contentment”. This author has also written The Queen’s Corgi – so you can see there’s a bit of a theme. Both are delightful.

Home Stretch by Graham Norton begins in small-town Ireland, 1987. Connor is one of a group of friends who are involved in a fatal car accident, with several of a wedding party killed. Taking the blame as driver, Connor leaves home for Liverpool and later London. But it will be decades later while living in New York before he will consider returning to his family for a visit and where the truth will finally come out. This is an engrossing and moving story that seems to be written from the heart.

There is usually an Anna Jacobs novel at Book Chat, and this time around it was Golden Dreams. When her husband dies, Lillian inherits his money. It’s a chance for a fresh start after an unhappy marriage, but can she escape her unscrupulous in-laws? Fortunately, the community in the Ollindale valley are kind and there’s even a chance of a new romance. A heart-warming historical novel.

Virginia Smith’s The Amish Widower was described by one reader as the nicest Amish story she’d ever read. It follows Seth, a man who has lost his first wife to childbirth, and his second wife to an accident. Vowing never to marry again, he is still under pressure from the Amish community to marry for a third time. Scarred and bitter, he distracts himself learning to be a potter, and it is through this that he meets Leah.

Susan Fletcher’s new book, The Night in Question, could be described as a feel-good mystery novel. It’s set in a stately home that has been turned into an assisted living facility. Here Florence Butterfield gets caught up in investigating the fatal “fall” of a resident, who had just told her that he had uncovered some startling information, and then the supposed suicide attempt of the home’s manager. She works with her new friend, whom she met at the compost heap, while the story slips back into the past to tell Florrie’s story. A brilliant read, nicely written.

The Dark Wives by Ann Cleeves is the latest Vera Stanhope novel. It begins when a man’s body is found by a dog walker, followed by the disappearance of a young girl from a home for troubled teens. Just how are the two connected? The name of the book is taken from a rocky Northumberland monument of standing stones, which is associated with superstition and folklore, adding nicely to the atmosphere. Ann Cleeves is always a good bet for an engrossing read, and the new book did not disappoint.

We also heard about Jeffrey Archer’s recent series following the career trajectory of  William Warwick, a policeman in London’s Metropolitan Police force. Archer is a clever storyteller and this comes through in this series – definitely in the category of “ripping reads”. The first book in the series is Nothing Ventured.

Another author with a gift for page-turning stories is James Patterson. His novel The No. 1 Lawyer (written with Nancy Allen) follows the story of Stafford Lee, a defence lawyer that has never lost a case – until the murder of his wife when he becomes lost in grief. His career seems over, until framed for the crime, Stafford Lee returns to the court to defend himself - the toughest case of his career. This is a book that you can’t put down, said our reader.

A newly discovered mystery author was Rhys Dylan, the creator of fictional character, DCI Evan Warlow. No One Near begins when honeymooners discover a rotting corpse in the bedroom of their accommodation, and The Light Remains concerns the death of an iconic sports star, killed in an apparent home invasion. With atmospheric Welsh settings, the books were entertaining, if somewhat forgettable.

We enjoyed a few historical novels, some of them dipping between past and present as secrets of long ago are uncovered.

The Story Spinner is the latest novel by Barbara Erskine, who has a wonderful gift for weaving history and mythology into contemporary settings. This novel takes us to a Welsh village where Cadi is a poet re-interpreting Welsh legends in popular books illustrated by her cousin. But back in 382AD, Elen is a princess betrothed to a Roman general, an alliance designed to advance his control in Wales. As Cadi begins writing Elen’s story, she hears the ghostly sounds of marching feet. Another stunning story from a must-read author.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell is a sobering story that has Iris, a young Edinburgh shop owner discovering the great aunt she never knew she had. No one can tell her the truth about why Aunt Esme was locked away in a mental institution for over sixty years. The story switches back to the past and we follow Esme’s strict upbringing, and a family that is unable to manage her behaviour. An engrossing read with brilliant characters and a powerful ending.

There are ghostly apparitions in Rebecca Anderson’s romance The Orchids of Ashthorne Hall, which is set on the coast of Cornwall in the 1880s. Botanist Hyacinth Bell is studying the orchid collection at the hall when she’s attracted by the charms of caretaker, Lucas Harding. But when he dismisses her reports of ghostly occurrences, Hyacinth wonders if he is keeping secrets from her, and investigates the mystery herself. This one was described as no more than a passable read.

Historian and fiction author Alison Weir brings to life the story of Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII, in her latest book, The Passionate Tudor. Reviled by many for her harsh treatment of Protestants, hers was not an easy life, with a difficult childhood at the hands of Anne Boleyn and then her childless marriage to Philip II of Spain, whom she adored. Reading this, you can’t help but sympathise with the queen known as Bloody Mary.

We have just discovered how much we like Kristin Hannah’s novels. Her new book The Women is a heart-wrenching story following a young deb from a conservative family who shocks her parents when she decides she wants to become a nurse. Her brother has enlisted for the Vietnam War, so why shouldn’t she do her bit too? An enlightening and powerful story.

We also enjoyed The Great Alone which follows Cora and Leni, wife and daughter of Ernt, an emotionally volatile Vietnam veteran who inherits some land and a cabin in Alaska. The family put all their efforts into making a go of the property so they can live independently off their land. But when Cora and Leni find themselves on their own, it’s a battle for survival as winter sets in. Our reader described the book as “raw, real, sad and beautiful”.

Also recommended was Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, a novel that takes us to France in World War II during the German occupation.

The Star on the Grave by Linda Margolin Roy is based on the extraordinary true story of a Japanese diplomat in Lithuania who secretly issued visas to Jewish refugees in 1940. Three decades later, Rachel discovers a secret about her parentage that may prevent her marrying her fiancé. She travels to Japan to learn more about her family’s past. A fascinating read.

The Love Letter is one of Lucina Riley’s earlier books and follows the fall-out at the death of a famous actor and the secret he kept for many years. Journalist Joanna Haslam comes across a letter that could rock the English establishment; but someone else is after that letter too and will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. A twisty story full of romance and scandal but not one of Riley’s better ones, says our reader.

6 November 2024

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