THE KITCHEN FRONT by Jennifer Ryan

THE KITCHEN FRONT by Jennifer Ryan This is a different take on WWII! Because food rationing is making it hard to prepare meals, the BBC holds a contest for a co-host for its cooking program. The prize will be a way for the winner to change her family’s life for the better. Unfortunately, the current host is not in favor of sharing his position. The rationing makes developing palatable recipes a unique challenge as well. The recipes are included in the novel along with the machinations the contestants (and host!) engage in. A thoroughly enjoyable book -- although the same can’t be said for some of the recipes! Engaging, well -developed characters, believable situations and an interesting concept make this novel a winner. 5 of 5 stars

COVER YOUR TRACKS by Daco Auffenorde

COVER YOUR TRACKS by Daco Auffenorde #BookTrib Once you get beyond the absolute improbability of the plot, this is a heart pounding thriller. Margo, eight months pregnant, and Nick, a former Army Ranger, are the only survivors of an avalanche that destroyed the train they were on. The remainder of the novel follows the two of them as they try to survive in the snow-covered wilderness. But is Nick really a friend, or is there a malevolence about him? The two main (and only) characters are clearly drawn. The mountainous region and snowy weather is accurately described. Margo’s pregnancy is a well-defined part of the plot. Margo’s actions are often ill considered and weaken the realism of the plot. I enjoyed this thriller even with its short comings. This is a book for a lazy weekend and a cup of tea. 4 of 5 stars

BLUE -EYED SLAVE by Marshall Highet and Bird Jones

BLUE-EYED SLAVE by Marshall Highet and Bird Jones I didn’t know there were Africans with blue eyes, but there are, and this tale sets forth the story of Bintu, the blue-eyed 13 year old slave in Charleston (Charles Town), South Carolina in the years before the American Revolution. Historically accurate (except for a few instances of “modern” language) Bintu and Hannah, a Jewish girl who becomes Bintu’s friend, are caught up in moral conundrums when Hannah helps in the “slave school” and realizes that Bintu is being systematically beaten, both physically and mentally, by her owners. Moral courage and the Jewish tradition of Tzedek or justice are central to this coming of age novel. Time and place are clearly laid out by the authors. The plot is engaging and builds to a satisfyingly rousing conclusion. Appropriate for both young adult and adult audiences BLUE-EYED SLAVE is well worth your time. 4 of 5 stars #BookTrib

BOLT FROM THE BLUE by Kerry Charles

BOLT FROM THE BLUE by Kerry Charles #BookTrib This was the first Dulcie Chambers mystery I read so I was a bit put off by meeting ten!, yes 10, characters in the first few pages. I started listing them on the fly so I could keep them straight and that was very helpful. Had I read others in the series, I would not have been wondering who these folks were and which ones were returning characters. The mystery was intriguing with opera and costuming and fashion design and museums all playing a role. I really liked the character of Bella. The slight romantic plot device between Nick and Dulcie was a nice contrast to the seriousness of the major plot line. I liked learning a bit about each of careers of the main characters. The quotes that began each chapter added to the story. Altogether a well plotted mystery with fully developed characters. I’ll read more from this author and this series. 5 of 5 stars

WHEN GHOSTS COME HOME by Wiley Cash

Cash lives up to his early promise and surpasses A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME in this family oriented, murder mystery, plane crash, racial tension, political story. That sounds like a lot, but Cash expertly guides the reader through this complicated, but easy to follow, tale right through to its explosive conclusion. Winston Barnes, a small-town Southern sheriff, discovers a too large plane crashed at the local airport along with the murdered body of a local, young Black man. Complications abound with the upcoming sheriff’s election, a grief-stricken daughter suddenly landing on his doorstep, a conniving developer who is also his political opponent, and now, a resurgence of Klan type bedeviling of the Black community. Cash deftly delivers the atmosphere of a Southern town, well developed characters, believable situations and a tightly conceived plot. Book groups will find a number of topics for discussion. Well worth your time even if you were disappointed in Cash’s last two books. 5 of 5 stars

THE PARIS BOOKSELLER by Kerri Maher

I was half way through this book before I realized it is essentially an accurate and lengthy biography of Sylvia Beach and her English language bookshop. Beach and her Paris shop, “Shakespeare and Company”, hosted many of the writers and thinkers of the early half of the 20th century. She came to fame with her publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses when no one else would publish it. In fact, America had declared it pornography and prevented it from being published or sold in the US. The novel also covers her relationship with Adrienne Monnier and Monnier’s French language bookshop. Both women were sponsors of American, French and British writers. The novel is well researched and well written but gets bogged down in the details. Joyce, Ulysses, Hemingway and Pound by themselves along with Beach could have made a fascinating tale that moved more quickly and kept the reader’s interest from flagging. Still, the history alone makes the book worth reading. Personally, I could have done with a hundred fewer pages. 3 of 5 stars

THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE by Richard Osman

This second outing for the Thursday Murder Club is just as much fun as the first. We learn a bit more about each of four members, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim as they meet Elizabeth’s ex-husband, also a former (or current?) member of MI5. The fun begins with 20 million in stolen (or not?) diamonds, continues with an attack on Ibrahim, a murder and several more murders. Will Elizabeth and company be able to outwit the Mafia, international thieves, hired killers, renegade officers and other assorted baddies while the laughs keep coming? Osman keeps the group moving while continuing the gentle humor and advancing the intricate plot. He has a good feel for folks in their seventies who do not feel “over the hill”, but are active and engaged. His plot will keep you wondering until the last pages. Altogether a fun read that will keep you engaged. 5 0f 5 stars