People in crisis mode are interesting. Jenna, the protagonist of this debut novel, is definitely in trouble. She has just lost her five-year-old son in a hit-in-run accident. In response, Jenna attempts to restart her life by moving to a remote village in Wales.
Two detectives, Ray and Kate, are slipping in a maelstrom of their own making. Both want to find the hit-and-run-driver who killed Jenna's child, even if they solve the crime off the books. Though each are seeing other people, they are increasingly drawn to each other.
Kate remind Ray of his old self, the kind that cared more about getting the bad guy than getting promoted. Meanwhile, in remote Penfach, Wales, Jenna and Patrick, a local veterinarian, fall in love.
Jenna's life seems to be improving until she finds a strange message in the sandy beach near her cottage.
Not to give anything away, but Part 2 of the novel is completely startling. In a rush, readers are given a new point-of-view and a new version of events.
Jenna's sad history unfolds revealing a different picture of the accident. Ian's cruel manipulation of Jenna and her quiet aquiescence is painful to watch.
A thriller of first rate quality ensues as Jenna struggles to free herself from Ian's cruelty.
Random House has sent me an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
Though she wants to hide her supernatural gifts, Nicola finds that increasingly difficult to do. When a woman tries to sell a Russian relic in the art and antiquities gallery where she works, Nicola feels motivated to use her psychometric abilities.
Holding the relic in her hands, Nicola knows the woman's story is true; the relic has been a gift from the Empress Catherine of Russia handed down through generations of the woman's family.
Proving the provenance of the wooden object, however, is much more of a challenge. Nicola contacts an old boyfriend, Rob, who has even more sophisticated psychic abilities. He can see past events in his mind merely by visiting a place.
Working together, Rob and Nicola learn Anna's story, the woman who had originally been gifted with the firebird.
What they witness is startling and heart-breaking. When the English force the Jacobites to flee Scotland, Anna's relatives send her to a convent in Ypres for safekeeping. Betrayed by a girl she befriended a the convent, Anna flees to Calais where she faces even more spies.
In St. Petersburg, Anna is adopted by a kind man to whom she has never revealed her true identity. She becomes Anna Niktovna ("Nobody") to protect her Scottish relatives.
After Anna takes a job in St. Petersburg, as a lady's companion. At this new household, Anna becomes intrigued by rakish Mr. Edmund O'Leary, a relative of her employer.
Kearsley relates an epic, powerful love story about the courage to assert one's own identity in the midst of political turmoil.
This novel is well-researched and employs fully developed characters.
If you enjoy The Firebird, you may also enjoy Paullina Simon's The Bronze Horseman.
On April 28, 2016, Mystery Writers of America announced the winners of the 2016 Edgar Allan Poe Awards. Let Me Die In His Footsteps by Lori Roy was awarded "best novel."
Best first novel by an American author went to Viet Thahn Nguyen for his novel, The Sympathizer.
Best paperback original went to Lou Berney's The Long and Faraway Gone.
http://www.theedgars.com/2016EdgarWinners.pdf
http://theedgars.com/nominees.html
When Alice's Aunt Polly dies suddenly, Alice's world crumbles. The two had always enjoyed a close relationship and spent hours baking pies in Aunt Polly's pie shop.
To her surprise, Aunt Polly bequeaths her disagreeable cat, Lardo, to her. The secret pie crust that has made the town famous goes, incredibly, to Lardo! But who would leave a pie crust recipe to a cat!
In the meantime, someone breaks into Aunt Polly's pie shop that is appropriately named Pie. The whole pie shop is damaged. Alice and Charlie try to solve the mystery of the pie shop break-in as well as the strange recipe bequeathment.
While solving these mysteries, Alice also attempts to figure out who she is and why her mother acts the way she does.
This is a delightful story for young readers who enjoy humor and small town mysteries.
www.sarahweeks.com
This dark novel is a stand-out for its superb characterization and its exciting narrative pace.
Unlike most superheroes, Ruby is supremely narcissistic. While at first she merely seems to be able to get boys to like her and dominate others, her powers begin to wreak havoc.
Chloe slowly realizes her sister has a strange connection to the Ashokan reservoir. Years ago, the Ashokan reservoir was built to give New York a water drinking supply. In the process, however, nine towns, including Olive, were intentionally flooded.
Townspeople were given plenty of warning but some refused to leave.
Ruby displays the same kind of arrogance; treating her mother, friends, and boyfriends with disdain. None of the local cops will ticket her. Her workplace looks the other way when she pinches candy.
Despite her unsavory qualities, Ruby will do anything to protect her little sister, Chloe, even if it means becoming involved in supernatural activities.
Nova Ren Suma's website:
http://novaren.com/
After a young woman has a stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, she has a hard time adjusting to everyday life. Her vision is distorted in one eye, giving her surreal-like visions. Her reading and writing abilities are impacted.
Before her stroke she was a film producer in England. Perhaps this is why she's determined to record her entire experience on film.Though she may never recover completely, Lotje discovers an inner strength she didn't have before.
A visual letter she sent to David Lynch prompts him to become a co-producer of the film, along with Sophie Robinson.
This is a must-see inspriation story for anyone who enjoys documentaries about life-changing events.
People in crisis mode are interesting. Jenna, the protagonist of this debut novel, is definitely in trouble. She has just lost her five-year-old son in a hit-in-run accident. In response, Jenna attempts to restart her life by moving to a remote village in Wales.
