Peter Pan Must Die by John Verdon

In Peter Pan Must Die, a woman has been convicted of murdering her husband while he attended the funeral of his mother. Dave Gurney, a former NYPD homicide detective, has been called in to take a look at this unusual case because some questions remain. As Gurney investigates, he comes across some shady goings on and has to dig deep to get to the truth and ferret out the assassin, who's appearance has earned him the nickname, Peter Pan.

I loved this book. Every time I read a book by Verdon, I can't wait to sit down and write the review. I want to tell everyone just how awesome his books are. However, when I actually get to the writing part, I can't seem to express just how wonderful the book is. It's like there are no right words. I hope my thoughts that follow make sense.

This book is intelligent and so well written. I can't say that enough. Verdon's insight into human actions and interactions are top-notch. The story takes the reader inside the mind of Gurney as he works the case. It's all from his perspective. Even though he has a knack for these types of cases, he's still not perfect. He exhibits many flaws. Some of my favourite parts of the book were when Gurney was working by himself. I got to see how his brain worked and see his thought processes as he sifted through the evidence.

Madeline, Dave's wife, was worried about his inability to let police work go, to move on with his life, and to find a new passion in his retirement. She suggested that he visit a therapist, Malcolm Claret. Their conversations produced some amazing insights into Dave's character and into his past. Suddenly some of Dave's thoughts and actions (in this book and previous ones) started to make sense.

Speaking of Madeline, in the other books, I had a hard time connecting with her. However, I'm happy to say that I finally get her!!! I really loved her this time around. Her conversations with Dave about the chicken coop reminded me so much of my conversations with my husband about things around our house. There's me passionately going on about how much I'd love to do this or that and him answering in a noncommittal way. It made me laugh-out-loud a number of times. I loved that Madeline was into nature, played the cello, and cared for her chickens. She's a perfect complement to Dave. It might seem mundane to some, but to me she, and her life, is perfect.

While this story was much like the Verdon's ones, a true thinking man's mystery, parts of this book, especially the ending, left me breathless. I was flipping pages faster than I thought possible while hoping that things were going to turn out okay. I won't give away the ending, but I'll just say you'll need to hang on tight when you get closer to the end of this book.

The book contains several passages that I loved. I hope they make sense out-of-context:

Crucial action is always based on partial evidence. The hunter who demands a zoologist's affidavit that the deer in his sights is truly a deer will soon starve. The jungle dweller who counts all the tiger's stripes before deciding to retreat will be killed and eaten. (page 172)

Action being the best antidote for anxiety, and information the only remedy for uncertainty...(page 228)

Guilt is a painful hunger for harmony--a need to compensate for one's violation, to restore balance, consistency. (page 254)

We don't think what we think because we see what we see. We see what we see because we think what we think. Preconceptions can easily override optical data--even make us see things that aren't there. (page 271)

I remember an oily politician once explaining that he never engaged in deception; he merely managed the flow of information in an orderly manner to avoid confusing the public. (page 299)

Our brains are so fond of coherence that they confuse "making sense" with the truth. (page 368)

I've read all of Verdon's books featuring Dave Gurney. For the reviews, please see the Reviews by Author page on my blog. Scroll down to "Verdon". I'd recommend them all. I don't think there's a need to read them in order.

Highly recommended. I can't wait for his next book!!!

For more information about this book, please visit the RandomHouse website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit John Verdon's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

Peter Pan Must Die by John Verdon, Crown Publishers (Random House), ©2014. ISBN 9780385348409(Hardcover), 440p.

Silver: Return to Treasure Island by Andrew Motion

In Silver: Return to Treasure Island, the offspring of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver take to the seas to return to Treasure Island. It's been forty years since the events of Treasure Island and Jim and Natty want to retrieve the treasure that was left behind on the island. The whole trip is more than they bargained for and getting to the island and finding the treasure is only part of the battle. They still have to return home.

This was such an interesting concept that I was really looking forward to the book. It started off wonderfully, but about halfway through, I got bored. It just seemed to go on and on and nothing very interesting was happening. I had imagined lots of swashbuckling action with pirates and sword fights. I guess there was some of that, but it wasn't enough to hold my attention. Perhaps if I had read Treasure Island or if I was more familiar with the story I would have enjoyed this book more or at least knew what to expect.

Motion is quite an accomplished writer. He's written fiction, poetry, criticisms, biographies and memoirs. He was the poet laureate of the UK, has been knighted for his contributions to literature, and is a professor of creative writing. I'm only sorry I didn't enjoy this book more.

There are plenty of positive reviews out there. This book just wasn't for me.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

Silver: Return to Treasure Island by Andrew Motion, Broadway Paperbacks (Crown, Random House, ©2012. ISBN 9780307884886(Trade paperback), 402p.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

In The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, the de Luce family is gathered together at railway station for Harriet's homecoming. That's when a tall stranger approaches Flavia with a message for her father. She hasn't a clue what it means, but it all gets more mysterious when that man is hit by a train shortly after talking to her. In her usual style, Flavia follows a series of clues and uncovers secrets that have been long buried in her family's history.

I loved this book. It was so nice to go back to Buckshaw, the de Luce family manor, and catch up with Flavia and her family. At long last, we find out what happened to Harriet, Flavia's mother, who disappeared when Flavia was just a baby. The story was more amazing that I could have imagined.

Flavia was precocious as ever, but perhaps a little subdued, like she wasn't quite herself. She is getting older now, as she reminds us that she's almost 12, so that might be it. She always appeared older than her age suggested, but in this book that was magnified. It seemed to me that she did less sleuthing in this one and at one point I thought she gave up a little too easily when met with an obstacle. Her relationship with Gladys, her bike, had me giggling as per usual. If you are not familiar with Gladys, she doesn't have any lines, but she a character nevertheless, at least in Flavia's mind.

Flavia always has a wonderful way of saying things, especially for someone her age. Sometimes she's laugh-out-loud funny; other times, profoundly insightful. There are lots of gems in each of the books. Because the whole mood of the book seemed a little more sombre and I'm sort of in that frame of mind, I choose to highlight two dealing with grief and death:

The problem with bereavement...was learning when to put on and when to take off the various masks that one was required to wear...(page 70).

Death is a bore. It is even harder on the survivors than on the deceased, who at least don't have to worry about when to sit and when to stand, or when to permit a pale smile and when to glance tragically away (page 70).

I could have easily picked another half dozen without much effort, but I'm going to leave it there.

The ending was terrific, yet shocking. With new characters and a hint at a new setting for Flavia, the next book is sure to be exciting. I can't wait.

I have read and LOVED all of the books in the series so far. For my thoughts on each them, go to my Reviews by Author page and scroll down to Bradley, Alan.

While a few of the others in the series can be read out of order, I don't necessarily think that's true about this one. Some background information on family dynamics would definitely be helpful. If this series is new to you, start at the beginning. They are fairly quick reads and you won't regret it.

Highly recommended. It was announced some time ago that 4 additional books have been added to this series. YAY! I hope to read as many as Bradley can write. Also, there's also a series of TV movies planned. Another YAY!

For more information about this book, please visit RandomHouse's website.

For more information about the author and his other books in this series, please visit the Flavia de Luce website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley, Delacorte Press (Random House), ©2014. ISBN 9780385344050(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 314p.

Endgame by Frank Brady

In Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall -- from America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness, author Frank Brady takes the reader inside the world of chess genius, Bobby Fischer.

I really enjoyed this book. Of course, I knew the name Bobby Fischer, but knew very little about him. I also didn't know that much about chess. I know the pieces and their moves (mostly). However, I knew nothing about strategy, the world of chess, the other players, and the competitions. I should have realized that it was ultra-competitive, but even that was new to me. Because of all of that, the book was extremely enlightening. I still don't really know how to play chess, though, but I didn't expect to.

By reading this book, I think I have a better understanding of the Fischer and his life. Chess played a major part of his life, but he had an on-again, off-again relationship with religion, excelled at many different sports, and was a voracious reader.

As for the chess portions of the book, Brady goes through the major points of some of Fischer's most famous games, at a level that's easy to understand for those who aren't grandmasters. Like I said above, even though I'm not that familiar with the game, I found of Brady's explanations quite easy to follow and exceptionally fascinating.

There were hints that Fischer possibly suffered from some type of mental illness, possibly even more than one type. He was temperamental, grew restless easily, hated the media attention, yet wanted everyone to recognize him. He was also an absolute genius. I think, as a whole, Fischer probably was misunderstood by the general public and the media.

Besides chess, Fischer is also known for his anger and outbursts at the Russians and Jews. There's a lot that was presented that I can forgive, tolerate and even understand. His anti-Semitic tirades, however, I cannot. Unforgiveable. Period. I wish the author had addressed Fischer's reasons for these strong views or his need to lash out. Saying that Fischer thought the Russians were cheating doesn't justify it. For me, Fischer's reasons are still a mystery.

I wished the author would have just written a straight-up biography rather than try to address or dispute some of what the other sources said about Fischer. Because of the disputative asides, the book felt a little biased and defensive at times.

Highly recommended. I think it would be helpful to have at least a rudimentary understanding of the game and a little interest in it, but there's no need to be an expert. Those who enjoy reading about celebrities or biographies might also enjoy this one.

For more information about this book, please visit the RandomHouse website.

Endgame by Frank Brady, Crown Publishers (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780307463906(Uncorrected Proof), 384p, includes notes and bibliography.

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

In The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion, Sookie Poole is looking forward to relaxing after having married off the last of her daughters. She gets a huge surprise when she stumbles upon a secret that her overbearing mother has been keeping for 50+ years. It sends her into a tailspin and she's not sure of anything anymore. As she searches for the truth, Sookie learns more about a woman named Fritzi, who in the 1940s ran an All-Girl Filling Station.

I really enjoyed this book. It was laugh-out-loud funny at times, while being heartfelt and touching at other times. Flagg is a fantastic story teller. I love how she uses Fritzi's war-time letters to get story points across. The story spans two time frames and locations: near present day Alabama and the 1940s, state-side WWII. A wonderful way to get this story across. It's not my favourite Flagg books, but it was still terrific.

The title and cover of the book are a bit of a misnomer. The book is more about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), than about the filling station. That's not too much of a spoiler, is it? Anyway, I loved all of this information. I hadn't heard of the WASP, so it was all new to me. Flagg's work is fiction, but it was still interesting to learn about these amazing women.

As for characters, I really liked Fritzi, but Sookie was a little annoying. However, she did experience quite a few shocks, so maybe I can forgive her. I did want to give her a little slap, though, so she'd snap out of it. I didn't find Lenore, Sookie's mother, terribly overbearing, but Sookie certainly thought so. I really wanted Sookie to stand up to her.

Flagg included a couple of nice twists near the end that kept me guessing as how it was all going to end. Well done!

I've also read two other books by Flagg, both of which I adored: I Still Dream About You and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which I read before I started blogging. I have a few of her books in my to-be-read pile, which I hope to get to sooner rather than later.

Highly recommended. I think those who enjoy reading books about strong, independent women would really like this book. I'll definitely book looking for more of Flagg's books to read. She's fabulous.

For more information about this book, please visit the RandomHouse website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit the Fannie Flagg's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg, Random House, ©2013. ISBN 9781400065943(Hardcover), 347p.

Eleven Pipers Piping by C.C. Benison

In Eleven Pipers Piping, Father Tom Christmas isn’t that excited to attend the annual Robert Burns supper at the hotel. He’s even less excited to eat the haggis that is traditionally served. As the chaplain to a traditional Scottish pipe band, he’s been invited to deliver the grace and is obligated to attend. As the supper commences, Will Moir, the hotel owner, goes missing and is later found dead. When the cause of death is determined to be poisoning instead of the initial suspected heart attack, the town comes alive with gossip. Suspects and suspicions abound as Father Christmas’s keen sense of observation leads him to the killer.

I really enjoyed this second book in the Father Tom Christmas mystery series. This traditional British “cozy” mystery is evenly paced; never hurried or rushed. At 470+ pages, it’s a tad long but it really didn't feel like there was anything extraneous, even though Father Christmas did a lot of things other than look into the mystery. The story takes place around two ceremonies/celebrations: Robert Burns supper and wassailing. I didn’t know much about either, so it was interesting to read about them.

The other major event that takes place in the story is a heavy snowfall. I loved Benison’s descriptions of all of the piles of snow and how people were responding to it. Something I can definitely relate to.

I especially loved the letters by Madrun, the Vicarage housekeeper, to her mother. She's hilarious! I loved how the author used these letters to sum up the parts of the story as well as add some new information. A lot of authors use this technique, but aren’t always as successful as Bension. He does a fantastic job of making them fit right in.

One addition I would have liked to see in this book is a map of the village, even a crude artist's rendition. I had a little trouble picturing how the various locations in the story were situated in relation to others. The author did describe the locations quite well, but I'm a visual person and love maps.

Father Christmas is one of my favourite amateur detectives. He’s a young widower raising a young daughter in a small town in the UK. He doesn’t really do any traditional investigating. He basically just goes about his life and duties all the while making keen observations about the people he talks to and the things he sees.

My favourite quote from the book:

The taste was compounded of damp grass, prawn casings, and iron filings with boiled liver notes and a dishwater finish. (page 305, a description of the tea that Molly served Father Christmas)

I love learning new words. Here's a sampling of the new-to-me words in this book:
apostasy (page 23): renunciation of faith/political belief or allegiance
epenthetic (page 46): adding a sound to a word
abrogated (page 91): do away with something
sclera (page 131): tough outer coating of the eyeball
cranachan (page 143): traditional Scottish dessert
opprobrium (page 146): scorn
cagoule (page 172): lightweight anorak (UK)
adipose (page 200): fat
quotidian (page 204): commonplace
tabaccanalia (page 291): Hmmm...I couldn't find a definition for this one
uxorious (page 300): excessively devoted to your wife
cheder (page 341): Jewish religious education classes
ruana (page 356): poncho
cresset (page 360): a metal cup or basket containing something flammable
invidious (page 430): unpleasant

I've read two other books by C.C. Benison. Here's the review for Twelve Drummers Drumming. I read the other one, Death at Buckingham Palace, before I started blogging. You can read what I thought of it over at Bookcrossing. I'd highly recommend them both. I have a few other books by Benison on my to-be-read shelf. I hope to get to them one day.

Highly recommended. I’m anxiously awaiting, Ten Lords A-Leaping, which was already mentioned in this book. It should be a hoot!

C.C. Benison is the pseudonym of Doug Whiteway. He lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, my hometown.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, please visit C.C. Benison's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Eleven Pipers Piping by C.C. Benison, Doubleday Canada (Random House) ©2012. ISBN 9780385670159(Hardcover), 474p.

Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay

In Trust Your Eyes, Thomas Kilbride, a schizophrenic, is obsessed with maps. So much so, he spends most of his time on his computer using a program called Whirl360 and rarely leaves his bedroom. He goes street by street, city by city, studying everything on the screen, memorizing it. That's his life, until he sees an image that looks like a woman being murdered in downtown New York. He shares what he's seen with his brother, Ray, who takes care of him. Ray doesn't quite believe Thomas, but agrees to poke around a little. It soon becomes apparent, though, that Thomas was right. A woman has been murdered and they have stepped into the middle of something very deadly.

I loved this book. Even though I'm a somewhat slow reader, I got through this one in just a couple of days. It was so good I didn't want to put it down. It was suspenseful and psychologically thrilling. The storyline was sort of like a modern twist on the movie Rear Window. It was awesome!

Barclay bounces between storylines and time periods quite a bit in this book. At times, I was wondering how it was all going to come together. It finally did, but not before making many twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat.

Thomas was such a great character. I really felt sorry for him, though. After the death of his father, he was so isolated with no face-to-face contact with anyone but his brother. His extreme interest in maps was very cool. I like maps, too, however, my interest is definitely not at this level. Having said that, I was oddly fascinated and totally drawn in by Thomas's obsession. It was interesting to see how his passion for maps combined with his mental illness lead him to his current state of mind. I loved that his delusions included emails to the CIA, keeping them informed of his activities and progress, and phone calls with President Clinton.

I've read two other books by Barclay. Here are my reviews for those: The Accident and Never Look Away. I loved them both.

I also have a number of books by this author that are still on my to-be-read bookshelf. I know they are going to be good, I just have to find time to read them. It's another case of buying books faster than I can read them.

Highly recommended. Barclay is definitely one of my favourite authors.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, please visit Linwood Barclay's website.

Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay, Doubleday Canada (Random House), ©2012. ISBN 9780385669573(Trade paperback), 498p.

Wingfield's World by Dan Needles

In Wingfield's World, Walt Wingfield, former Bay street stocker turned farmer, writes a weekly letter to the editor of the Free Press and Economist in the town of Larkspur. In these letters Walt details his small successes, his disastrous failures and introduces the reader to a host of eccentric characters that inhabit the Persephone township. This collection is based on the one-man stage plays written by Dan Needles.

I loved, loved, loved this book! It was such a refreshing change from all of the mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction that I've been reading. It's Canadian, wholesome and invokes many emotions. At times, it's touching, other times it's sad, but mostly it frickin' hilarious. Walt has traded his life at the firm for life down on the farm. At least partially, anyway. He knows very little about farming, but really wants to succeed. He applies his business know-how to chores on the farm and while he doesn't always do it the most efficient way, he gets it done, sort of.

The book is broken down into chapters, presumably matching up with the plays. While each is made up of only the letters to the editor with an occasional note from the editor, the book very much reads like a whole cohesive story.

Walt is such a great character. His deadpan delivery is sensational. That and the fact that Needles makes all of the situations so believable are probably what makes this book (and stage plays) so successful.

Many years ago, I had the privilege of seeing one of the "Wingfield" one-man stage plays at the Manitoba Theatre Centre. I think that made this book even more enjoyable for me. I could imagine the brilliant actor, Ron Beatty, acting out these letters and changing his voice, body language and speech patterns to become the different characters. If you ever get the chance to see one of the plays, I encourage you to do so. I've only seen one play, but it was great.

Favourite quotes:

Dry Cry once sold Don a flat of eggs that were so old they started to hatch on the way home on the seat of the truck. Then [Dry Cry] accused Don of stealing chickens. (page 145)

There's a difference between not needing to know and needing not to know. (page 299)

Many of Walt's letters are funny, but a few of them had me rolling on the floor hoping not to pee my pants. Ok, that's probably too much information, but they were hilarious! These include:
- October 27 (page 323-326), regarding the skunk raiding the hen house
- August 27 (page 98-104), about the condominium's open house, where Walt and the neighbours try to dissuade would-be buyers
- November 5 (pages 337-344), about the burning down and potential rebuild of the Orange Hall

I also loved the "Note to the Reader" at the end of the book. It was a wonderful way to finish off this collection.

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

Dan Needles doesn't appear to have a website, but for more information about Wingfield, please visit the Walt Wingfield Official Homepage. (While the information appears to be up-to-date, the "style" is seriously outdated. Time for a makeover, webmaster.)

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Wingfield's World by Dan Needles, Vintage Canada (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780307360847(Trade paperback), 435p.

The Salt Road by Jane Johnson

In The Salt Road, Isabelle (Izzy) Treslove-Fawcett has inherited an amulet, along with a mysterious note, from her father. It leads her on a journey to Morocco to find the amulet's origin and solve the mystery that her father eluded to in the note. Once there, she meets an antiques trader, Taïb, learns about the history of the Tuareg people and uncovers the amulet's amazing past.

I had read Johnson's other book, The Tenth Gift and really enjoyed it, so I was really excited when I first heard about this one. However, this one took me a couple of tries before I got into it. The first time I got about 1/4 of the way through before I lost interest. The second time I persevered even though my interest waned periodically. All of that left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, I loved the history in this story. Johnson gave vivid, gorgeous details about the area, the history and the people. That was enlightening and fantastic! However, the story didn't move along fast enough for me and a few of the details were bothersome.

Like The Tenth Gift, this book is set in Morocco, a beautiful area with a rich history. The story involved and highlighted a injustice that plagues the Tuareg people. While it was sad, yet fascinating, I felt that Johnson came on a little too strong at times. It bordered on preachy.

The story is told using two different storylines, one in the present featuring ; Izzy and Taïb; the other Mariata and Amastan in the past. This format was pretty good fit for the story. However, other than their common location, I had a hard time seeing any connections between the two stories. Eventually, a connection becomes apparent, but it's really late in the book and it's fairly simple. Maybe I read too many mysteries, because I was expecting a more complicated link.

I was also confused about time frame for the storyline set in the past. Because I didn't know about the Tuareg people and their "traditionally nomadic pastoralist lifestyle", I had assumed that those crossing the desert on foot (for days and days and days) or using camels as their main mode of transportation had done it a very long time ago. I was thinking a century or so ago. Because of this assumption, parts of the story didn't seem to fit and confused the hell out of me. Now that I've finished the book, it makes more sense, but it didn't while I was reading.

A couple of other things about the story bothered me. Once Izzy became involved with Taïb, she totally lost contact with her travelling/climbing partner, Eve. Of course, at times she couldn't contact her, but there were times that it seemed like she forgot about her entirely. To me, that seemed weird, inconsiderate, and not believable. Also, Izzy had the feeling that she didn't belong in her parents world, but once she got to Morocco, everything started to feel right. I can understand that, however, Johnson's description of it felt a little wishy-washy and too romanticized for my tastes.

The book contained some new-to-me words. I didn't bother listing the ones that were defined in the glossary. Here's a sampling: friable (page 1): crumbly
louche (page 7): disreputable
inimical (page 10): adverse
susurrus (page 26): whisper
palanquin (page 52): seat carried on poles
acrostics (page 73): written lines with certain letters forming a new word
alacrity (page 75): swiftness
col (page 81): low point of mountain ridge
lugubrious (page 88): sad
abseil (page 106): rappel (descend by rope)
sigil (page 159): seal or signet
suffusing (page 174): permeating
obdurate (page 317): stubborn

The glossary at the back of the book was nice to have, but I didn't know it was there until well after I started the book. Once I found it, I referred to it often. I love learning new words, but having to look up so many annoyed me a little.

Johnson also included a list of "sources and bibliography" as well as other information which inspired this book. It's pretty interesting. It was obvious that she'd done a tremendous amount of research.

I've also read Johnson's The Tenth Gift (my review) and really enjoyed it.

Even though I had a few problems with the story, I'd still recommend this book to others, who are looking for a story set in that part of the world.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Jane Johnson's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

The Salt Road by Jane Johnson, Doubleday Canada (Random House), ©2010. ISBN 9780385669979(Hardcover), 386p.

Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley

In Speaking From Among the Bones, it's the 500th anniversary of Saint Tancred's death and the hamlet of Bishop Lacey is preparing to open his crypt. 11-year-old Flavia de Luce is really excited to get a glimpse of what's inside, but before they can get to the Saint, Flavia discovers the body of Mr. Collicutt, the church organist. Determined to find out who wanted him dead, she embarks on her investigation.

As with the other books in the Flavia de Luce series, I really enjoyed this one. It's really a terrific addition to the series. This installment, the 5th, finds Flavia still precocious and totally enamoured with chemistry and her lab, but something is definitely different and even Flavia herself is not sure what's going on. For possibly the first time, she's not at constant war with her two older sisters. I know, it's shocking!

In fact, there are lots of changes are happening at Buckshaw, the family manor. Because Flavia doesn't have time to keep up with what's going on there, not with Mr. Collicutt's murder to solve, some of them take her by complete surprise.

I especially love Flavia's "relationship" with Gladys, her bicycle. She talks to her and about her as though she were a real person. Some of those lines are priceless. As for other relationships, Flavia knows she's a child, but doesn't like to be treated like one. Those who treat her like an adult, like Dogger, are more likely to gain her favour.

In her chemistry lab, Flavia whips up a recipe, although Flavia calls it an "invention", for Steamed Eggs on page 208. Flavia doesn't just go through the procedure. Because she's a chemist at heart, she describes chemical composition of egg shells and why this method works better than Mrs. Mullet's method, which leave the eggs "with their green circle around the yolk, looking for all the world like the planet Saturn with its rings poisoned". She's just brilliant.

Bradley always seems to use a few words that are totally foreign to me. I love learning new words, so I love when I come across a new-to-me one and I can look it up. Here are a few from this book: judder (page 72): vibrate, shudder
bombazine (page 98): twilled material
crosier (page 114): rod carried by a bishop
encomium (page 126): high praise
squalene (page 149): substance (a hydrocarbon) found in the liver
diapason (page 162): pipe organ's main stop
pervigilation (page 192): careful watching
deleterious (page 195): harmful
shandygaff (page 304): a drink made of beer and ginger beer

I absolutely loved the ending. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that it will leave fans of this series simply breathless. A perfect lead up to the next book in the series.

Just because of the ending, I'm going to say that if you are new to the series, this might not be the best one to start with. The mystery itself is standalone, but other things that happen in the book, including the ending, needs some background information to be truly enjoyed. In fact, if you are at all interested, do yourself a favour and start at the beginning with book one. You won't regret it.

Highly recommended. I'm anxiously waiting for the next book.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, Flavia de Luce, and other books in the series, please visit Flavia de Luce's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley, Doubleday Canada (Random House), ©2013. ISBN 9780385668125(Hardcover), 358p.

Fallen by Karin Slaughter

In Fallen, Evelyn, Faith's mother, isn't answering her phone. She supposed to be minding Faith's daughter, so Faith immediately gets suspicious. Faith rushes to her mother's house, only to find the front door open and a bizarre scene inside. Her infant daughter is hidden away in a storage shed out back while there's a dead man in one room and a hostage and gunman in another. Her mother is nowhere in sight. It's all hands are on deck to track down Evelyn, a former cop, and figure out who took her and why.

I really enjoyed this 5th book in the Will Trent series. This thriller is fast paced and quite the page turner. Even though it's part of a series, I think it can be mostly read as a standalone book. It's the first one I've read, and while I was a little puzzled at times, but I think I got most of what was happening. I did have a little trouble figuring out who everyone was and who they worked for, so maybe a little background information would have helped with that.

The story jumps between the two different legs of the investigation. On one side, there's Amanda Wagner and Will Trent, Faith's partner. On the other is Faith, who's also a witness in this case. They are all going off in different directions to solve the kidnapping case and rescue of Faith's mom. As the investigation continues, they find corruption in the police force and lots of stuff that might put lives at risk if they can't get to the truth.

I liked reading about Faith and liked her tenacity. I found it strange that even though she and Will were partners, they didn't speak that much to each other...at least in this one. I also thought the relationship between Will and his wife Angie was extremely strange, but then I don't think anyone was trying to say it was "normal". I also liked reading about Jeremy, Faith's son and Zeke, Faith's brother.

Favourite quote:

...a woman can run faster with her skirt up than a man can with his pants down. (page 64)

New word: bespoke (page 128): specially made

Highly recommended. I already have Criminal, Will Trent #7 on my to-be-read shelf. I'm going to keep any eye open for other books in the series.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Karin Slaughter's website.

I won this copy from a contest held by the Stop You're Killing Me (SYKM) website.

Fallen by Karin Slaughter, Delacorte Press (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780345528209(Hardcover), 387p.

The Charming Quirks of Others by Alexander McCall Smith

In The Charming Quirks of Others, Isabel Dalhousie, moral philosopher and editor/owner of the quarterly journal, Review of applied Ethics, is asked to investigate, with discretion of course, three candidates for the job of headmaster at a boys' school. The school received a letter hinting that one of the candidates shouldn't be hired. However, it failed to state which one. As Isabel looks into their lives and backgrounds, she finds out some amazing things about the three candidates, herself, and others around her.

This is the seventh book in the Isabel Dalhousie series, but the first one I've read. I enjoyed it immensely. Alexander or should I say Sandy, the name he goes by, creates the most wonderful stories filled with terrific characters. This one is no exception. It's less about the story, though, and more about the characters.

Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone book. I didn't feel like I was missing any crucial background information to explain anything in this book. Having said that, I really want to go back and read the other now because this one was so good.

By the way, the 9th book in the series is already out in hardcover. According to his website, there's also an eBook original story featuring Isabel.

Speaking of Isabel, I just loved her. She can go off on a tangent like no other person or character I know, then somehow make her way back to the subject at hand. It's quite extraordinary. Since this was the first book I read, I had a little trouble figuring out her age, until her husband, Jamie and small son, Charlie came onto the scene. I especially loved her ponderings on moral philosophy, It's funny, I dropped out of 1st year philosophy in university because it was a snooze-fest. Yet, it was the philosophical bits in this book that I found the most intriguing.

New words:
solecisms (page 15): A grammatical mistake in speech or writing
platitudinous (page 56): dull or tiresome
mendacious (page 110): lying
prurient (page 127): Having an excessive interest in sexual matters
approbation (page 196): approval
syllogistically (page 211): an argument or form of reasoning in which two statements or premises are made and a logical conclusion is drawn
clype (page 235): tattle-tale

I've read a few of his other books and enjoyed each one. He's written so many books, though, that I'm afraid at this point, I'm never going to catch up. Honestly, he can write faster than I can read. I haven't written reviews for all of the books I've read, but here are two that I loved: Corduroy Mansions and La's Orchestra Saves the World. I'd highly recommend them both.

Highly recommended. If you've read and enjoyed any of his other books, I'm sure you'll like this one, too. I have lots of his other books on my bookshelf that I intend to read...one day.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Alexander McCall Smith's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

The Charming Quirks of Others by Alexander McCall Smith, Vintage Canada (Random House Canada), ©2011. ISBN 9780307399571(Trade paperback), 256p.

Let the Devil Sleep by John Verdon

In Let the Devil Sleep, Dave Gurney, a retired homicide detective, is asked to help a young woman with her documentary project about one particular serial killer, The Good Shepard, who was never caught. After a series of threats, Dave re-examines the case and is convinced the original investigators got it all wrong. Of course, this doesn't make him that popular with other law enforcement officials. As he digs deeper, he's convinced he's onto something and ends up putting himself in harm's way. If he's successful, he can prove he's right and catch a killer at the same time. All of this leads to a climatic ending that even Dave doesn't see coming.

I loved this book! It's my favourite one from Verdon so far. As much as I loved the first two, I loved this one even more. Each time I picked up the book, it sucked me backed into the story. It's a true thinking man's mystery. The story is intellectual, meticulous and so well thought out that no stone is left unturned. I'm in total awe of his writing and storytelling ability. I had goose bumps for much of the time I was reading the book. It's that good.

I have to admit that I took my time reading this one. On one hand, I wanted to pick up this book the moment it arrived and devour it in one or two sittings. On the other hand, I didn't want to start it at all because I knew it would over way too fast. I settled for somewhere in the middle with reading a few chapters a day and making it last.

I love the main protagonist, Dave Gurney, a retired NYPD homicide detective who just can't settle into retirement. Like Verdon with writing, Gurney is intellectual and meticulous in his investigations. He doesn't stop until he's gotten to the truth.

While I love Gurney and the things we learned about him this go-round, it's the other characters that made this book for me. Jack Hardwick, Gurney's investigative partner, is kind of a hard guy to like. He's abrasive and borders on abusive, but he helps Dave a great deal. He has access to loads of information and acts as a sounding board for Gurney's far-out suppositions. I got a much better sense of Madeline in this book. I previous books I didn't quite "get" her. She seemed aloof and off in her own world, doing her own thing. She and Dave seemed more like acquaintances than a married couple. In this one, though, she seemed different. Or maybe we just got to see more of her. Whatever it was, I liked it. There was another character who "emerged" in this book. That's Kyle, Dave's son from his first marriage. I'm glad we finally got to meet him. He's a good kid, who's very supportive and proud of his Dad. It's great that Dave got to see that.

I also loved Verdon's depiction of the TV station sensationalizing the news or serial killers. I'd like to think that it was purely fiction, but unfortunately it's not. There are a few real life TV stations (and various so-called news programs) that do this. It's pretty sad. I think I'll leave it at that.

As with John's other books, I marked a bunch of passages that I loved. However, out of context most of them didn't really have the impact they did when I was reading them within the story. Having said that, I feel that these two can stand alone.
Favourite quotes:

...Anger is like a buoy on the surface of the water. What you think you're angry about is only the tip of the issue. You have to follow the chain all the way down in order to discover what it's attached to, what's holding it in place. (page 84)

Gurney knew from experience how dangerously easy it is to overlook logical flaws in one's thinking. When the product of one's own mind is the subject, objectivity is an illusion. (page 421)

I read his first two books: Think of a Number (my review) and Shut Your Eyes Tight (my review). I'd highly recommend them both.

Highly recommended. I can't wait for his next book.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, please visit John Verdon's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Let the Devil Sleep by John Verdon, Crown Publishers (Random House) ©2012. ISBN 9780307717924 (Hardcover), 449p.

Season of Darkness by Maureen Jennings

In Season of Darkness, Tom Tyler is a detective inspector in Whitchurch in Shropshire in 1940. He's married to Vera, but a former lover has recently resurfaced and has him emotionally torn. When a Land Army girl (a young woman helping the farmers during the war) is found murdered, Tom is up for the challenge. In the nearby internment camp of Prees Heath, which is holding many German nationals, Tom finds a German psychiatrist willing to help solve the murder. Tyler must solve this one quickly before more young woman fall victim.

  I really enjoyed this book. I don't usually read books set in this time period, but I found this one fascinating. I learned lots about England, the war and the internment camps. The story and connections between the characters is complex, but Jennings does a great job of laying it all out for the reader. Also, she has the police reviewing the facts of the case frequently so that the reader has a chance to catch up if they happen to miss something. She is such a great storyteller.

In this first book of a planned trilogy, the author gives lots of information about the characters, including a little about Tyler's personal life with his wife, daughter and former lover. I really liked reading about his ennui with his life and his desires for some change.

The story were written from different points of view. I didn't always know who it was, though. I'm not sure if it was my failure to recognize them or if the author was purposely being vague. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this style.

Favourite quotes:

...the qualifications of a good policeman were the strength of a lion, eye sight of an eagle, tact of an ambassador; worldly knowledge of an undergrad; patience of a husband and the memory of a wronged wife. (page 208)

Jennings also writes the Murdoch Mysteries series. I've read Under the Dragon's Tail (my review). I think I liked that one a little more than this one, probably because of the TV series connection.

New words:
pillock (page 58): an offensive term that insults somebody's intelligence (UK)
dower house (page 155): landowner's widow's house (UK)
fifth columnist (page 193): secret or subversive group
plaice (page 228): large flat ocean fish
wool gathering (page 229): dreaming (I knew this one, but I love the term.)
soutane (page 263): cassock or priest's robe
perspicacity (page 291): acute perception
recce (page 308): same as reconnaissance
palliasses (page 364): straw-filled mattress

I also loved the term "chin wag" for conversation.

Highly recommended, especially for British mystery fans.

For more information about this book, please visit the McClelland & Stewart website.

For more information about the author, please visit Maureen Jennings's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Season of Darkness by Maureen Jennings, McClelland & Stewart (RandomHouse), ©2011. ISBN 9780771043253(Uncorrected proof), 398p.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

In The Night Circus, Marco and Celia were selected as children to take part in a competition that tests their magical abilities. They were trained separately by two old magicians, but neither knows who their opponent is, what the rules are, or even what the game is. As time goes on, they discover one another and fall in love. They then start treating the game as a collaboration rather than a competition. All of this is going to make the endgame a little more complicated.

I enjoyed this book, but didn't love it. When I first heard that this book dealt with magic, I was so excited. I love magic! I know I'm being fooled, but I love it anyway. Once I discovered, though, that the magic Marco and Celia were doing was real and not illusions, it sort of lost its draw for me. I still liked the premise and the story, but the magic (pun intended) was gone.

Scattered throughout the book was little vignettes describing the different aspects of the circus. Because they are written in the second person (using "you"), it made me feel like I was actually at this circus. I quite enjoyed that.

Now that I think about it, I think maybe I put too much stake in the magic aspect of this book. Perhaps if I hadn't been so excited about that part I might have enjoyed the story more when it didn't work out as I hoped. Also, the story may have just been beyond me (too complicated or something) for me to truly get. I'm saying that because I don't really think I fully understood this book.

For example, I was quite bewildered by the section called "Intersections". It contained various chapters with dates one year apart. Alternating between the two time periods that were so close didn't make sense to me. I bet there were some subtleties in the story that I missed that might have cleared up my confusion over this section.

Favourite quote:

There is more to it than you think. ...Everything you do, every moment of the day and night is a move. You carry your chessboard with you, it is not contained within canvas and stripes. Though you and your opponent do not have the luxury of polite squares to stay upon. (page 306)

New words:
proscenium (page 73): front of the stage
eiswein (page 123): sweet white wine

Even though I didn't love the book like I thought I would, I'd still highly recommend this book.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.
For more information about the author, please visit Erin Morgenstern's website.
I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday Canada (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780385671612(Hardcover), 387p.

Darkness, My Old Friend by Lisa Unger

In Darkness, My Old Friend, the police ask Jones Cooper, who has recently retired from the Hollows Police Department, to look into a cold case, the disappearance of Marla Holt. Meanwhile, Michael, Marla's son, asks Eloise, a psychic and PI Ray Muldune to find out what happened to his mother all those years ago. Cooper is also looking for another missing mother at the request of Paula Carr. For someone who's retired, he's a busy man. Another resident, Willow Graves is new to The Hollows and is having a hard time adjusting. Her desire to run away leads her in dangerous directions.

I loved this book. This is the first book I've read of Unger's, but it won't be the last. It started off with great intensity and was thrilling to read. I didn't want to put it down. I loved the interconnecting relationships...much like a huge spider's web. I guess it's typical of a small town where everyone knows everyone else or is at least connected to lots of the other residents. I had lots of "aha moments" when those connections came to light.

The book contained lots of interesting characters, but my favourite character was Jones Cooper. He's about the same age as me and is questioning, "Is this all there is?". That's something I'm sort of struggling with myself. I also understand his recent retirement woes because my husband retired three years ago. It's tough to be doing something different after so many years of the same thing.

The psychic was an interesting addition. I don't know if I believe that sort of stuff, but her story was interesting. She was a bit creepy, though, I thought. She plays a major role in Unger's other book Fragile, which I haven't read.

My one complaint is that the intensity didn't quite carry through all the way to the end. It was still compelling enough, but it sort of leveled off rather than building up to a grand conclusion.

Even though this is the second book featuring some of these characters (the first being Fragile), this book can be read as a standalone book. I haven't read the first book yet, but I'd love to.  I'm going to keep my eye out for it.

New word: mollycoddled (page 153): overprotected. I was pretty sure I knew what this meant, but I like the word so much I wanted to include it in my review. ;)

Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Lisa Unger's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Darkness, My Old Friend, Crown Publishers (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780307464996(Hardcover), 358p.

Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen: Cookin' for Trouble by Nadia Giosia

Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen: Cookin' for Trouble is a cookbook featuring seventy-five recipes from Nadia Giosia, the star of Bitchin' Kitchen on Food Network Canada. Besides the recipes, there's also tons of "Nadvice" as well as snippets from the other Bitchin' crew members: The Spice Agent, Panos and Hans.

This is such a fun cookbook. The recipes are unique and beautifully presented. The photography is outstanding. The organization of the book is a little different from other cookbooks in that the recipes are grouped by outrageous themes (Student Shkoff-Fest, Bitchin' Booty Camp Xtreme, etc.) rather than conventional ones. If you are at all familiar with Nadia, this won't be unexpected.

Each chapter starts with an introduction and a photo of Nadia in some outrageous outfit. No doubt about it, she's hot. Each recipe has an ingredient list ("grocery list") and equipment ("gear") to complete the dish. It's also written in Nadia-speak, as in "Shkiaffing it together". Don't worry if you that word is foreign to you, the book also includes an Italian slang dictionary that should help decipher some of the terms used.

The last chapter of recipes is a community chapter featuring recipes from fans selected in a nationwide contest. I like this community involvement angle. I wouldn't buy the cookbook just because of it (unless it contained my recipe, of course), but I think it's interesting.

Both the index and table of contents look good and should be helpful in finding recipes.

Both my husband and I watch the Bitchin' Kitchen on Food Network Canada and enjoy it. I love that I recognize a few of the recipes from that show.

I do have a few complaints about the book. My one major complaint is the lack of page numbers on every page. I like using the index and it's considerably less helpful if it's hard to find the page it lists. That's not cool.

My second complaint is about one of the recipes. I was planning on making "Chana Dhansak" on pages 31-33 for the purposes of this review. As it so happens, the episode (Veg Head Extravaganza) featuring this recipe was on not too long ago and I decided to watch it to get some additional tips. However, the episode left me confused. For the dhansak spice blend, the recipe in the book calls for 1/2 teaspoon of 7 different seeds and spices (plus varying amounts of other ones). However, on the TV show, Nadia used 1 tablespoon of those 7 seeds and spices. That's a *huge* difference. I also noticed some slight variations in the procedure as well, but that's not as concerning as the ingredient amounts. [By the way, the recipe on the Food Network site, matches the cookbook.] Anyway, I decided against making the recipe for the time being because of this. I know I shouldn't fault the cookbook because of the show, but I find it all a bit troubling.

I also had some concerns with the "Back-of-the-Fridge Bachelorfest" chapter. This chapter is supposed to "conquer the challenge of the bachelor fridge! The good news is that some of the tastiest dishes in the world are peasant dishes, so you don't need fancy-pants ingredients to make a good meal." Sounds great, right? However, these recipes include ingredients like a vanilla bean, Crana Padano cheese, Scamorza cheese, and 7-year-old aged balsamic vinegar. Really? In a bachelor fridge? I cook all the time and I don't even have these ingredients...haven't even heard of the cheeses.

Despite my complaints above, I plan to make some of the recipes at some point. I'd still recommend this cookbook for fans of the show and for those looking for an unusual and fun cookbook.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

According to the book, there are two websites for Nadia G. and Bitchin' Kitchen. However, I couldn't access either of them when I was writing this review. The first one was active at one time and contained some great stuff, but I don't know about the second one. Anyway, I'll list them here in case they come back online at some point. They are: bitchinlifestyle.tv and nadiag.com.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Bitchin' Kitchen Cookin' for Trouble by Nadia Giosia, Ballantine Books (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780345531827(Trade Paperback), 208p.

Twelve Drummers Drumming by C.C. Benison

In Twelve Drummers Drumming, Tom Christmas, magician-turned-vicar, seeks refuge in Thornford Regis, a seemingly idyllic village, after the death of his wife. During the May Fayre, the body of Sybella Parry, the choir director's daughter, is discovered in the village hall in the base of a Japanese o-daiko drum. Father Christmas soon realizes that there are lots of suspects and the village is chockfull of secrets. It's especially unsettling when he realizes that one of his parishioners is likely the killer.

I truly enjoyed this traditional British cozy. The title had me a bit fooled, though. With its reference to "The Twelve Days of Christmas", I was sure it was Christmas related and even saved it to read during the holidays. I was surprised and maybe a little disappointed to learn it wasn't. Once I started reading, though, none of that mattered. It turned out to be a great cozy mystery.

The book was wonderfully written. I loved how Benison dropped little hints here and there and alluded to something sinister just beneath the surface. I love also loved how he used unfinished or interrupted conversations. Just when one of the speakers is going to reveal a juicy secret, the conversation was cut off or interrupted by something or someone. It all added to the suspense of the story.

One of my favourite parts were the letters Mrs. Prowse wrote to her Mum. They are written casually and very much like someone would speak. They offered a great recap to what happened thus far as well as furthering the story along with additional details. At times they were laugh-out-loud funny! They were so well done, I could just about picture the woman writing them. She was a hoot.

I read Benison's Death at Buckingham Palace some time ago and really enjoyed it. It's another traditional British cozy featuring Queen Elizabeth II. I have his other books on my to-be-read shelf that I hope to read at some point.

The book contained a whole slew of new-to-me words. That's not unusual for a British cozy. No worries; I love learning new words:
disputatious (page 13): argumentative
uxorious (page 85): excessively devoted to your wife
profligate (page 85): extravagant
mufti (page 87): expert on Islamic religious law
hermeneutics (page 93): science of interpreting texts
insularity (page 106): narrow-mindedness
middens (page 115): dunghill
tor (page 165): mound or rise
punctilious (page 175): meticulous
antipathy (page 182): opposition
verger (used repeatedly): church official
vacuity (page 201): emptiness
asperity (page 209): roughness
bombazine (page 214): twilled material
dolorous (page 222): sad or painful
farrago (page 228): jumble
antediluvian (page 278): prehistoric
febrile (page 296): feverish
benison (page 358): blessing

This book is the first in a planned twelve-book mystery series. I think it was rather clever and unexpected to start at the top (12th) of the series, rather than the bottom (1st).

C.C. Benison is the pseudonym of Doug Whiteway. He lives in my hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. If I didn't know this, I would have sworn he was British.

Highly recommended. I can't wait for the next one in the series.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, please visit Benison's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

Twelve Drummers Drumming by C.C. Benison, Doubleday Canada (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780385670135(Hardcover), 370p.

The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay

In The Virgin Cure, a young girl named Moth is sold as a servant to a wealthy, but cruel, woman. After suffering much abuse, Moth meets Miss Everett, who takes in young girls to work in her brothel. Her cliental are particularly interested in young virgins, much like Moth. Soon she meets other young girls in the same situation as well as Dr. Sadie, who takes Moth under her wing and shows her how to avoid the worst dangers of Moth's new profession. Through all of this, Moth dreams that one day she'll own a big beautiful house and won't have to put up with any more abuse at the hands of others.

I loved this book! It's so well written with a fabulous story that made me want to keep reading and reading. I really don't know how McKay does it. She got my attention with the very first sentence and held on until the very last page without a single waver. I just could not put this book down.

Moth was a superb character. She was streetwise in some ways; very innocent in others. I especially loved that the story was written from her point of view with an occasional passage from Dr. Sadie. McKay got her voice just right. It felt like the story was coming from a child. I also loved Dr. Sadie. She knew what these girls faced and did everything she could to help them.

I adored the historical information contained in the side bars. It was relevant, interesting and added a lot to the story. I loved that McKay choose to include this extra information in this form. I can't think of another author who does this. Having said that, I sometimes have a hard time with side bars. I find them a bit distracting only because I can never decide when I'm supposed to read them.

The author's note, in which Ami McKay explains the origins and background of the story is particularly interesting. I love that it comes from her own family. It's definitely worth the read.

New words:
chancres (page 93): ulcer indicating syphilis and other diseases
diadem (page 243): tiara

This is the second book of McKay's that I've read. Her first book, The Birth House (my review) was fantastic as well. I think the reason I loved them both so much is that the stories were was interesting and the characters were so real. By including lots of historical information in both of the stories, McKay taught me a lot about the people who lived long ago.

Highly recommended. I read this book at the very end of 2011, but didn't write the review until now. The book should have made my list for Best of 2011, however, because the review wasn't written yet, it got overlooked. I'm adding it to my Best of 2012 right now. I hope to read many more books by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Ami McKay's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Random House for this review copy.

The Virgin Cure by Amy McKay, Alfred A. Knopf Canada (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780676979565(Uncorrected proof), 351p.

The Thirteen by Susie Moloney

In The Thirteen, Paula Wittmore returns home to Haven Woods with her young daughter, Rowan. Paula's mother, Audra, has recently become ill and the two want to visit her. What they doesn't know is that Audra's friends need Paula to return with Rowan to complete their little group and to appease their dark side.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I should state up front that this is not my preferred genre. I've only read a handful of paranormal books in the past and I don't think I loved any of them. Having said that, I liked the first part of the book where the witchcraft was merely suggested or hinted at...just a few unusual things happening. The rest was left up to my imagination. However, later on it got into the incantations as well as some "icky" stuff, which I didn't enjoy as much.

I liked Moloney's storytelling style. She revealed the details slowly and carefully, which added a lot of suspense of the story. A couple of times, though, it came across as a little too cryptic and I couldn't quite figure out what was going on. There were a couple of passages that were awkward and a few that I didn't like at all, but overall it was pretty well written.

The description on the back of the book "The Witches of Eastwick meets Desperate Housewives" was somewhat accurate, only I didn't find the book all that funny. Maybe the humour was so subtle or dark that I didn't quite catch it. Whatever the reason, the humour, which I know exists because I've read about it in other reviews, apparently went right over my head. Also, parts of it seemed a little predictable and the story contained a few clichés that had me rolling my eyes. Only later did I realize that maybe those were the funny bits that I thought I missed. Sometimes I tend to take things too seriously. Really, I have a sense of humour. I just hide it really well.

While this really wasn't the book for me, I think paranormal fans, with a sense of humour, will enjoy it.

For more information about this book, please visit the Random House website.

For more information about the author, please visit Susie Moloney's website.

This book was a win from the Editorial Board Survey I filled out from those nice people over at Booklounge.ca (Random House). Thanks!

The Thirteen by Susie Moloney, Random House Canada, ©2011. ISBN 9780679313816(Uncorrected proof), 328p.