SYCAMORE ROW by John Grisham

SYCAMORE ROW by John Grisham

John Grisham returns to the Clanton Courthouse of A TIME TO KILL and his hero Jake Brigance to bring a story of money, family dysfunction, racism, and legal maneuvering.  Seth Hubbard has died – by suicide – leaving behind two conflicting wills, a black maid, two disgruntled children, four apathetic grandchildren, a dark secret, greedy lawyers and LOTS of money. Grisham manages to make us like old Seth, a genuinely unlikable person, even while we sympathize with his greedy children and root for his maid.  SYCAMORE ROW will send you out to write an airtight will as soon as you finish reading, all while keeping in mind that is exactly what Seth thought he was doing.  Seth did Jake no favors by ordering Jake, and only Jake, to defend his “final” will, but it does make a fascinating tale.

5 of 5 stars

THE BRIDE'S HOUSE by Sandra Dallas

THE BRIDE’S HOUSE is home to three very different young women across three generations of the same family. Each has a secret.   Each generation has secrets.  The secrets are eventually revealed (but not by me!) and show how the keeping, or telling, of a secret can affect an entire generation and even succeeding generations.  Sandra Dallas is a writer of people, complete with foibles, warts and generosity of character. In THE BRIDE’S HOUSE she has woven a fascinating tale of love, deceit, passion, heartache, callousness, generosity, forgiveness, redemption and the women who are affected and affect others.  The three women – Nealie, Pearl and Susan – are complete individuals surrounded by fully fleshed out characters. 

The plot is believable and interesting.  Book groups will love this book that spans a century – from 1880 to 2000 – and a changing country -- from a rough and tumble mining town to a sophisticated Denver.  

5 of 5 stars

The DEVIL'S BED by William Kent Krueger

I became acquainted with W K Krueger’s writing with ORDINARY GRACE.  This book (a stand alone, not part of his Cork O’Connor series) is VERY different. From the first page to the last, this is a hard charging, atmospheric, political assassination, psychological  thriller.  Krueger is a good writer who is able to keep his characters and plot clear throughout numerous twists and turns.  The politics are familiar to any reader of the newspaper, but Krueger manages to make it new.  The family drama (husband/wife/boyfriend?/father) is an integral part of the plot. 

I have discovered a new favorite writer who can deliver thrillers as easily as gentler family dramas.

5 of 5 stars

THE HOUSE GIRL by Tara Conklin

Josephine is a 17 year old slave in anti-bellum Virginia while Lina is a twenty something up and coming lawyer in present day NYC.  The lives of these two become entwined when a wealthy Black client of Lina’s law firm starts a “slave reparations” law suit that becomes entangled with an art dealer’s contention that Josephine is the true artist and not her widely acclaimed mistress.

Both life in a high powered law firm and life in the slave owning South are presented believably. Lina and Josephine are both sympathetic and well-drawn characters.  The story line for both is engaging. While the sub plot involving Lina’s mother is rather thin and too neatly concluded, the artistic element is a link for the two stories.

Book groups will have a variety of subjects to discuss; some very superficial and entertaining and others quite serious and profound.  Race relations now and then permeate both stories.  The question “Who is Caucasian and who is Black?” may form the body of the discussion.  The value of a piece of art and how the artist’s name recognition determines price is another point for discussion. Motherless children and how they and their families cope could form another topic.

SECOND WATCH by J A Jance

SECOND WATCH   by J A Jance

Jance takes us back in time to relate how beau became a detective and the “one that got away.”  Beau’s first homicide was never solved.  Now, in the present, Beau revisits that crime.  Does he solve it? I won’t tell, but you enjoy the juxtaposition of past and present in this tale of crime and aging knees.

Jance keeps you interested while giving the reader a glimpse in to Beau’s back story.  As usual, the writing is crisp, the plotting is well paced and the characters ring true.  Another winner for the mystery lover, especially those who have Beau’s career through the years.

W IS FOR WASTED

Grafton has written another winner.  The characters are real. The conversation is logical. The view expressed of the homeless is very interesting.  The mystery is quirky enough to keep you reading. The “new” family members for Kinsey are always a revelation.  Not quite sure how this fits with the previous books, but I am happy for Kinsey’s new found wealth. All in all, a good read from a favorite author.