Books Read in October 2011
I’ve been kept busy with family matters over the last couple of months and really fallen behind in getting book reviews posted. I hope to get back on track soon but in the meantime, here’s a brief summary of my month’s reading.
1. Altamont Augie
My pick for my book of the month. In the late sixties, supporters of the war in Vietnam and anti-war protestors clashed violently and began to form the “New Right” and the ”New Left” in America. This is a provocative and thought-provoking look at the issues of that decade around which the last century pivoted for that country. Here’s my full review.
2. Linnea in Monet’s Garden
Linnea is a young European girl who takes a trip to Paris to learn about Monet’s water-lily paintings. Lovely illustrations and solid art history background info. For grades 3 – 6.
3. Dumb Witness 
A 1937 Hercule Poirot mystery. The dumb witness is the dog, whose ball was thought to have tripped his mistress and caused a non-fatal tumble down the stairs. Before Poirot receives her letter expressing her doubt as to the accidental nature of the fall, the said mistress has died. Classic Christie.
4. I, the Divine: A Novel in First Chapters
Every chapter in this fictional memoir of a young woman raised in Beirut is Chapter 1. Interesting presentation and great insight into life in Lebanon.
5. A Cold Day in Paradise 
First in the Alex McKnight series set in Paradise, Michigan. Likable protagonist, decent mystery and appealing setting in upstate Michigan, near Sault Saint Marie. Deservedly won the 1999 Edgar award for Best First Novel by an American Author.
6. 
From This Wicked Patch of Dust
Semi-autobiographical novel set in an American border town, where Mexican immigrants strive to teach their four children to forsake the drugs and gangs of their neighborhood. “Spanning four decades, this is a story of a family’s struggle to become American and yet not be pulled apart by a maelstrom of cultural forces.”
7. Vaclav & Lena
Vaclav & Lena, children of Russian immigrants, meet in an ESL class in Brighton Beach and become fast friends. Together, they plan Vaclav’s great magic act, but then Lena disappears.
8. Cape Cod Mystery
First published in 1931, this is Taylor’s first novel and introduces the “Codfish Sherlock”, handyman Asey Mayo, who became a series character appearing in 24 books. Fun, easy to read, and full of Cape Cod flavor.
9. A Small Death in the Great Glen
Verra Scottish mystery, set in the 1956 Highlands and featuring staff of a small-town weekly newspaper. This would have been difficult to get through unless I’d had some exposure to Scottish dialect and pronunciation. At times, I was frustrated by the slow plot development, but by the end of the book I felt as if I was leaving a group of friends.
10. 
The Reservoir
Set in 1885 Richmond, Virginia and based on an actual crime, this novel delves into the trial of a man for the death of a young woman whose body was found in the local reservoir. I felt it couldn’t decide whether to be fiction (with perhaps a plot?) or true-crime reporting. Interesting for the details of nineteenth century sexual mores.
11. A Bitter Truth
A bitter truth is that favourite authors don’t always deliver to the high expectations we have for them. This Bess Crawford adventure followed her to WWI France for the first time, but the mystery seemed contrived.
12. Hotel Bosphorus
First in the Kati Hirschel mystery series, set in Istanbul, Turkey, it suffers in translation and contains gratuitous sex scenes.
Links for my Canadian readers:
Altamont Augie
Linnea in Monet’s Garden
Dumb Witness: A Hercule Poirot Mystery
I The Divine
A Cold Day in Paradise
From This Wicked Patch of Dust
Vaclav & Lena
Cape Cod Mystery
A Small Death in the Great Glen: A Novel
The Reservoir
A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery
Hotel Bosphorus
Kindle editions:
Altamont Augie
Dumb Witness: Hercule Poirot Investigates
A Cold Day in Paradise (Alex McKnight Mysteries)
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel
A Small Death in the Great Glen
The Reservoir
A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery
Hotel Bosphorus (Kati Hirschel Murder Mystery)
I loved The Reservoir which I took to be a mixture of fact and fiction. Wonderful story and characters.
Barbara, I think The Reservoir was, in fact, just that – but there wasn’t enough happening for me and I felt unsatisfied at the end that the “truth” remained unknown.