A New Reading Year with Wine, Books & More

Wine, Books & More got the year off to a cracking start with some terrific reads at their January meet-up. Over the Christmas break, many of the group unwound with some crime fiction, but there were also some more challenging reads, including literary fiction and some non-fiction. Check out the list below:

We’re starting off with Edmund Hilary: a biography by Michael Gill. The author was the medical personnel for Hilary on his trips as well as a close friend. The book is a combination of personal experience and research from a large archive of private papers left after Hilary’s death. Gill is a very witty, sharp and detailed writer. The book is well written and quite fascinating.

Fungi of Aotearoa: a curious forager’s field guide by Liv Sisson is a beautifully put together and up-to-date book that will help you identify the best edible varieties, how to cook them as well as the role fungi play in our environment, in medicine and research. The guide displays the diversity of fungi with fantastic photos. 5 stars

With The Enchanters by James Ellroy, we ease into fiction about a real person, in this case the of Marilyn Munroe. It’s a boiling hot August in 1962 when Marilyn ODs. About the same time a B-movie starlet is kidnapped. The story dives straight into the action with no build up, bubbling along quite nicely, with Freddy Otash, an investigator you won’t forget.

Sticking with crime fiction we’re still in the US with Kiwi author, Paul Cleave’s latest book, His Favourite Graves. The novel, set in the small town of Acacia Pines, follows embattled Sheriff Cohen as he's trying to get his life back on track. The abduction of a high-school student and the reward for the boy’s safe return offers that chance, but a rising body count will lead Cohen to make a difficult decision. Not bad, says our reader.

Home Before Night by J P Pomare is set in Melbourne during a pandemic vaguely resembling Covid. Strict curfew rules throw Lou into a panic when her son, Samuel, doesn’t return home. She can’t ask the police for help as she has her own secrets that Samuel mustn't find out about. So Lou has to look for Samuel herself and bring him home. Another brilliant domestic thriller from Pomare, with plenty of twists.

The Dark Heart of Florence by Tasha Alexander is a historical mystery in the Lady Emily series. It’s 1903 and Lady Emily is with her husband Colin Hargreaves in Tuscany. They’re visiting Colin’s daughter at her palazzo where a series of burglaries take place and then a murder. Colin and a fellow agent of the Crown investigate, while Emily discovers all kinds of secrets at the palazzo, and a story of hidden treasure going back to the era of the Medicis. Our reader enjoyed the writing style which captures the era perfectly.

The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson is the third of the Millennium series and the last penned by the late author. Salander is up against it, while recovering from a bullet to the head doesn’t stop her from planning her revenge. She must also prove her innocence for three murders she’s in the frame for. Fortunately she’s got the help of journalist pal, Mikael Blomkvist. This is a series our reader has been enjoying so much they just want it to go on for ever. Luckily David Lagercrantz has picked up the baton with five more titles.

The Watchmaker’s Hand is number 16 in the criminalist Lincoln Rhyme series of detective novels by Jeffrey Deaver. Sabotage at a building site causes mass destruction and injury, a political group claiming responsibility. With another attack threatened, this couldn’t be a worse time for Rhyme’s old nemesis The Watchmaker to turn up intending to fulfil his promise to murder him. A five-star read.

Unfortunately The Woman in the Window by A J Finn was disappointing. It follows a recluse in New York City, living alone and drinking too much, while spying on her neighbours. When they move in next door she becomes fascinated by the Russells, until she sees something she shouldn’t have. She has to battle her demons as well as decide what’s real and what isn’t. The book promises a Hitchcockian thriller but was very slow to get into.

See You in September by Charity Norman is a gripping read following the story of Cassy, a young woman taking a break in New Zealand, where she's invited to stay at an idyllic farming collective. This turns out to be a cult and the charisma of the group’s leader makes it impossible to leave. Meanwhile her parents are desperate to bring her home. Our reader found it quite realistic and could see how this could easily happen. 4 stars

The Order by Daniel Silva is number 20 in the series featuring Gabriel Allon, legendary spy and art restorer. Gabriel is in Venice on holiday with his young family when the Pope dies suddenly. There is talk of murder and Gabriel is summoned to Rome, a Swiss Guard who was on the night watch at the time having gone missing. Our reader loved it and couldn’t put it down. Silva's writing has just been getting better and better.

With The Night House Jo Nesbo takes a break from his Harry Hole novels, taking a dip into the horror genre. The story follows a teenage boy sent to live with relatives in a remote town on the death of his parents. When he witnesses a paranormal event, no one believes him. Our reader found this book quite confusing and not Nesbo at his best. Perhaps he should stick to crime fiction after all.

The group also enjoyed some literary fiction, including The Overstory by Richard Powers. This novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won a Pullitzer Prize too. Set in Northern America, it describes the connectivity between mushrooms and trees. There are different stories for different trees connected to generational stories incorporating environmental concerns. Definitely a book to get you thinking.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman was a big hit with one particular reader. They loved this story of Eleanor, a quirky character who leads a socially isolated life. That's until she and Raymond, the IT guy, help an elderly gentleman who has a fall outside the office where they work. This reader particularly enjoyed the ending and found that after they finished the book it took several days to emotionally and mentally process the story before being able to read again.

Set in 1960s California Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and is the story of Elizabeth Zott, and how she goes from a promising career in science to hosting a daytime TV cooking show. The book shows how women were regarded at the time. It’s an enjoyable story but the language sounded too modern, which was slightly jarring. Our reader didn’t like the ending, either, finding it too cheesy compared to the rest of the story. It’s 3.5 out of 5 stars for this one.

26 January 2024

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