THE HEAVEN AND EARTH GROCERY STORE by James McBride

Heartwarming and yet filled with the frailties of humans is my one sentence comment on this book. HEAVEN AND EARTH tells the story of the town of Pottstown, Pennsylvania in the 1920’s and the disparate group of people who live there. The Jews and the Colored live on the hillside above the town, the “arrived on the Mayflower” whites live at the bottom of the hill and the “new” immigrants live somewhere in the middle. Do they get along? Well, maybe. Chona, the Jewish woman who has always lived in Pottstown and runs the grocery store is a good (and beautiful) woman. She lives among and is friends with the Colored folk who live about her on the hill. She feeds everyone whether or not they can pay. Her husband is the successful owner of the TWO local live music theaters that cater to both Colored and white folk. The local doctor is enamored of Chona and is NOT a good doctor although he is the only doctor. In 1972, long after Chona, her husband and Doc are gone, a skeleton is found in an abandoned well. Who is at the bottom of the well and why? And that, friends, is the plot of the story. Excellent writing, characters that leap off the page and a plot that will keep you guessing are the hallmark of this author. McBride has a clear understanding of his characters and the interactions between them. The intricacies of the plot will keep your attention and stay with you long after you have finished the book. Pay careful attention as the “plot thickens” in the last fourth of the book. (If you are triggered by the use of “Colored” or “Negro” you might want to skip this book. Please don’t!) 5 of 5 stars

THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE by Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin

Although labeled as a young adult book this intriguing mystery by a delightful author will keep the attention of adults. A love of riddles and puzzles keeps a brother and sister close. So when Jakob disappears to Bletchley in 1940 to work as a secret codebreaker for the British, Lizzie is determined to find him and their mother instead of sailing to America and safety. What ensues is a madcap adventure with Lizzie being chased by her erstwhile chaperon, aided by her new friend Colin and castigated by her brother and the Colonel all while attempting to discover the secrets of Bletchley and searching for her missing and presumed dead mother. Does she succeed in any of these? You will have to read THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE to find out. This is a fast, entertaining and informative read by two award winning authors who excel at historical fiction. 5 of 5 stars

THE MISTLETOE MYSTERY – A MAID NOVELLA by Nita Prose

Let me start by saying I loved THE MAID. It was a delightful, insightful and charming mystery with a unique character in Molly the Maid. Molly was somewhere “on the spectrum” without it ever being said or alluded to. Molly had a wise and understanding grandmother who loved Molly just as she was and a job that fitted her personality perfectly. If you haven’t read THE MAID, you should. Unfortunately, THE MISTLETOE MYSTERY while having the quirky Molly as the main character and her boyfriend, Juan, as a good foil for her, simply misses the mark. Molly’s quirkiness seemed forced. Her boyfriend seemed too good to be true. The plot (I’m not giving it away) was too transparent (I solved the mystery in the first few pages), and the situations were too obvious. So – did I enjoy the book? Yes, it was a good read for a lazy afternoon. Will I keep this book on my shelf? NO, a second read would simply be boring. Will I recommend this book to someone else? Probably not, but I might give it away to someone who just needs a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. My final take – Nita Prose, a good author, was asked (forced?) to write a Christmas story and she briskly polished this off with dispatch in order to fulfill her contract. 3 of 5 stars