RESCUE AT LOS BANOS by Bruce Henderson

RESCUE AT LOS BANOS    by Bruce Henderson

All of us know about the Bataan Death March, but few know about the civilians who were interned for the duration of World War II at Los Banos Prisoner of War Camp in the Phillippines. Los Banos Camp, situated in a lush agricultural area of the Philippines, was home to thousands of civilians – men, women and children – from a number of countries, but mostly from the United States. When Sadaaki Konishi was made commandant in 1944, conditions in the camp became unendurable. Food rations were cut to starvation levels, cruelty and inhumane practices commenced and the prisoners were scheduled for annihilation. The 11^th Airborne was assigned to rescue them in a desperate race against the end of the war and the wholesale killing of all POW’s by the Japanese. 

Henderson has written an account of the round-up of the civilians and their experiences in the camps that focuses on several interned families and individuals, the soldiers charged with rescuing them and the cruelty of Konishi. Intimate family narratives carry along the story of courage, daring and fortitude. The fact filled book reads like a well-paced, but harrowing, novel.  WWII buffs will appreciate the many notes and appendices, while ordinary readers will be caught up in the daring, and ultimately triumphant, raid. 

5 of 5 stars 

THE ALPINE ZEN by Mary Daheim

THE ALPINE ZEN   by Mary Daheim

This is Daheim’s 27^th outing in the Emma Lord series and perhaps her last. Emma, publisher and editor of the Alpine newspaper, and her Sheriff husband, Milo Dodge, are the hero and heroine of this romp in murder and mayhem.  All of the usual characters are present which will please followers of the series, but may confuse new readers. There is so much going on in small town Alpine -- murder, wife beating, missing persons, confused identities, etc., etc. --  that even long time readers will find this outing a bit confusing and disjointed.  It appears that Daheim had several “good ideas” still in her Emma Lord file and tried to use them all.  If you can keep all the name changes straight the plot thickens and the resolution makes sense. 

A good mystery for mystery buffs who love convoluted plotting and well developed characters. You won’t find gore or gratuitous violence, but if you are offended by smoking (often), drinking (before every meal) and sexual innuendo (mostly within marriage), skip this one and find another mystery.  

3 of 5 stars

UNTIL THE HARVEST by Sarah Loudin Thomas

UNTIL THE HARVEST  by Sarah Loudin Thomas

Henry is an immature twit. Margaret is a mature, responsible young adult. Mayfair is a sickly teen who may also be a healer. How these three ultimately get together and grow to form a family is the premise for UNTIL THE HARVEST.  Returning to the Appalachian area she explored in MIRACLE IN A DRY SEASON with some of the same characters in new roles, Thomas has written a charming romance.  This not great literature, but it is a thoughtful exploration of the meaning of family and the power of family (and love) to elicit change in a person.

Readers who like an exploration of a simpler life without the pulls of modernity will like this book. The hardships and joys of farm life are revealed as the characters go about living.  Several characters make significant personality changes during the relatively short span of the book. A willingness to overlook this shortcoming will give the reader an enjoyable read. The book is “Christian” in that the characters make reference to their faith, but it is not a religious harangue.  Book groups will find many topics for discussion.

4 of 5 stars

LOWCOUNTRY BOIL by Susan M Boyer

A murder, a mystery, a family squabble over land, another murder, a philandering husband, a contract killer, a ghost – oh my – this plot is thicker than molasses. 

A likeable heroine and her ghost friend take on murders, wife beaters, divorced husbands, family disputes and more.  If you can abide a ghost who is usually, but not always, in the right place at the right time, you will like this mystery. The characters are well drawn, with a few you will like and a few you won’t. The situations are believable and properly contentious.  The mystery will keep you guessing and you may even find yourself rooting for the wrong person as the plot unfolds. 

A mystery with a bit of “southern charm” and a lot of twists and turns.

4 of 5 stars

Risky Undertaking by Mark de Castrique

RISKY UNDERTAKING:  A Buryin’ Barry Mystery   by Mark de Castrique

Barry, funeral director and deputy sheriff, finds himself embroiled in a dispute between the Cherokee Indians, the Catawba Indians, the proponents of a casino and possible gangsters when a body turns up on the fresh grave of the mayor’s wife.  The Ashville area, the Cherokee and a variety of law enforcement folk turn this enjoyable mystery into a page turner.  Generous dollops of humor amid the increasing body count will make the “light” mystery fan happy.  There are enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing until near the end. 

This is the first “Buryin’ Barry “ mystery I have read and I found the various characters difficult to follow without jotting notes to remind who was who.  Readers of the previous books in the series may not find this a problem.

A fun page turner with enough humor amid the mayhem to please both cozy and thriller readers.

4 of 5 stars

MR. SAMUEL'S PENNY by Treva Hall Melvin

This young adult book is a cross-over for adults, perfect for Parent-Child Book Groups.

New Yorker Lizbeth, 14, is spending the summer with her small town North Carolina aunt and uncle.  On her very first day in Ahoskie a murder occurs that intrigues her because of the special penny the deceased is clutching in his hand.  Determined to discover both the penny and the murderer, Lizbeth discovers the slowness of small town life along with prejudice, compassion, violence, love, greed and generous neighborliness among the residents and relatives she encounters. 

Realistic characters and situations carry the slow moving plot along.  1972 in the South is clearly presented.  Watching Lizbeth grow in maturity and change over the summer is a pleasant foil to the murder mystery.  The importance of family and respect, the keeping and telling of secrets and the surprising revelations are all good topics for discussion.

5 of 5 stars