Some Reading Highlights from Flaxmere Library Book Chat

Our book groups may have taken a breather over the Christmas break, but we can still pick up some terrific reading recommendations from them to tide us over. Flaxmere Library Book Chat has enjoyed some gritty crime fiction as well as sobering historical books. But mixed in are always a few cheering feel-good reads too – just to bring a bit of balance.

Thaw by Dennis Glover takes you back to the doomed Antarctic expedition of Captain Scott, the mystery surrounding the deaths of Scott and his core team and years later, the quest to uncover what really happened. It’s a gripping read, blending the tragic past with cutting-edge science, and bringing the frozen continent to life on the page.

Still in Antarctica (chilly settings are just the thing for hot days!) we’ve got Midnight by Amy McCulloch, a murder mystery set on a sightseeing cruise among the majestic icebergs. When Olivia needs to leave London in a hurry, the cruise sounds perfect. Only some of the other passengers are a little eccentric. Things soon go wrong when a storm hits while the group are camping out and leaves them cut off. That’s when the first body turns up. More thrills and secrets ensue.

The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel is about two women who meet in Paris’s Bois de Boulogne. Elise and Juliette are both young mothers, but it’s 1939 and the German occupation of Paris is imminent. Juliette’s bookstore seems a haven when Elise feels in danger as the enemy closes in, so she entrusts her daughter to her friend. A beautiful story that will tear at your heartstrings.

Paperbark Hill by Maya Linnell is a book in the Aussie Rural Romance genre that really hits the spot for a feel-good read. It follows Diana who heads for the country with her four sons to start a flower farm. There’s a bit of help from the old farmer next door who knows a thing or two about dahlias, but when the old man dies, his son returns to sort out the estate. A warm-hearted, second chances story.

The Widows Wine Club by Julia Jarman follows Janet, Viv and Zelda, three women in their sixties who meet at a bereavement group in a chilly church hall. Fleeing the gloomy gathering to share a bottle of wine, the Three Muscat-eers is born. A life-affirming feel-good read about friendship and new beginnings.

The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee is the kind of book that you imagine will be a light, feel-good read. The story follows Larisa who leaves her job and boyfriend to take care of a great aunt’s estate in a small seaside town. When she sees a beautiful wedding dress in a bridal shop, a string of deception ensues. Our reader found the endless lies a bit much, the character rather unappealing.

Nice Work if You Can Get It by Celia Imrie is the sequel to Not Quite Nice, which follows the lives of a group of ex-pat British retirees living on the French Riviera. The story includes a group running into difficulties when they try to open a new restaurant, the bustle around the Cannes Film Festival and the arrival of an intriguing Russian. Our reader found this book quite a good read, but not as engaging as the first book.

Hidden Away at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard is a delightful Amish story that is number seven in a series. In this story, two “English” girls arrive at the lodge pretending to be Mennonites. In spite of their Amish clothes, they are obviously not Plain folk, which causes a few problems. The girls get the chance to prove their worth later in the book though. Our reader loved this book.

The Great Deceiver by Elly Griffiths is the latest by this popular author in the Brighton mystery series set in the 1950s and 60s. The Great Deceiver is an old music hall act, Ted English, who asks Max Mephisto for help when his assistant is found murdered in her boarding house. Max’s policeman mate, Edgar Stephens is investigating the case and so is Emma, Edgar’s wife, who is a private investigator. Another fun and atmospheric mystery that keeps you guessing.

Put Out to Pasture by Amanda Flower is the second in the Farm to Table Mystery series featuring Shiloh Bellamy, a former city girl turned farmer. Here she’s organising the local fall festival when the body of well-known woman is found underneath a scarecrow, the evidence pointing to Shiloh’s old friend Kristy as the prime suspect. A light, amusing read.

Holding by Graham Norton is the television comedian’s first book, and it’s a really good mystery. The story is set in Duneen, a rural backwater and home to lonely policeman PJ who lives for food. There’s a family of three spinster sisters and the discovery of a body on a building site. Out of the woodwork come a bunch of long-buried secrets that cast a shadow on the town. A well-written novel laced with wit.

The Darkness Knows by Arnaldur Indridason is the first in the Detective Konrad series of cold case mysteries. Set in Iceland, the case involves a frozen body discovered in a glacier. The victim is a businessman who has been missing for thirty years. Konrad is a retired policeman who handled the case originally, recalled to reinvestigate when he receives some new information. The story builds to a brilliant ending and as always with this author, it’s really well-written.

The Sealwoman’s Gift by Sally Magnusson takes us back to 1627 when Barbary pirates plundered Iceland, abducting 400 locals to sell into slavery in Algiers. The story follows one woman and her children who are enslaved for nine years, and how they adapt to a new life. A well-told story that questions the accepted beliefs of the time.

The Betrayal of Anne Frank by Rosemary Sullivan describes how a retired FBI agent and a team of investigators used new technology and recently discovered documents relating to Anne Frank’s story. An engrossing, meaty piece of true detective work which profiles a list of suspects and also brings wartime Amsterdam to life.

War Clouds Gather by Peter Watt is number eight in the Frontier series of historical novels that follows two Northern Australian families, the Duffys and the Mackintoshes. In this novel, it’s 1936, as the patriarch, George Mackintosh is battling to maintain control of his business empire, against his nephew David. In Iraq, Capt. Matthew Duffy is working for British Intelligence and must make a difficult decision. A brilliant epic read.

A Cornish Orphan by Sheila Jeffries is set in St Ives, where a shipwreck has occurred, the only survivor a seven-year-old girl. Lottie’s clothes suggest she has come from a wealthy family. The Lanroskas plan to foster her despite dissent from the locals, but there’s a rocky path to happiness for Lottie and the family. A really enjoyable story.

Having the grand-kids to stay had one reader looking close to home for a bedtime story. Pearl in a Whirl by Catherine Robertson is a delightful children’s picture book from the author who brought us the popular Gabriel’s Bay trilogy. Gorgeously illustrated by Fifi Colston, it’s the story of the fluffy cat, Pearl, who can’t be found when her owners have to evacuate during the Cyclone Gabrielle flooding. Fortunately, kind souls look after her until she can be reunited with her family. The perfect book for young relatives these holidays.

9 January 2024

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