A Strange Scottish Shore
by Juliana Gray
Berkley Publishing Group
The second book in a series, A Strange Scottish Shore takes the reader in a new direction -- different, but very enjoyable.
What's different about this book
The first book in Gray's Emmeline Truelove series, titled A Most Extraordinary Pursuit, was a pleasant and entertaining read that posited the threads of events crossing across time: a murder suspense tale involving, at one point, a Greek god transported to the future, as well as other not-quite explained phenomena let the reader know "something is up." A great read.
This second book, however, takes the original premise and builds a completely new world in an unexpected direction that nonetheless builds on the clues recognizable from the first book. If they hadn't quite caught on in the first book, readers should be aware that time travel is a huge part of the story of Emmeline.
The new direction of A Strange Scottish Shore gives us more of what we want: more of the heroine Emmeline (or just Truelove as she is called) and the male figures with whom she works and adventures. A strong, satisfying romance develops in this second book.
I was particularly impressed with Gray's mastery of a cliff-hanger ending sentence. One sentence. And the reader immediately remembers the threads skillfully planted earlier in the book that makes for a subtle but thrilling pause ... until the third book! Aargh.
What I'll do now that I've read it
This second book will cause librarians (and readers) to go back and consider the first title for purchase, if they haven't already done so. Book one was very good. Book two compels the addition to the library collection of the full series. (The novella prequel may still have been the best of all so far.)
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MatchUp
edited by Lee Child
Simon & Schuster
Pub Jun 2017
In case you missed it, as I did, the International Thriller Writers (ITW) published a clever and entertaining anthology of specially-written short stories in 2014, Faceoff. The fresh approach derived from iconic characters of mystery / suspense / thriller series (think Harry Bosch, Jack Reacher, and Lincoln Rhyme) paired up to solve a new and mutual challenge.
Matchup is the second such anthology, and this time the pairings involve "the battle of the sexes" (think Diana Gabaldon and Steve Berry, Kathy Reichs and Lee Child).
Both collections are fun, clever, and evocative for readers of these renowned authors.
But both require a new approach to reading: an anthology literacy, if you will, that changes how readers approach the book.
What's different about this book?
Short-story reading has always been something of a "choose your own" process where the reader can decide which, if any (or all) of the stories gets read. These titles complicate things a little: Choices have to be made according to which of the iconic characters you want to follow, and the best entertainment results when both authors, both iconic figures, are well-known to the reader. The result in such cases is a delightful adventure of much-loved characters with the catalyst of an equally loved character offering a third-person perspective of that character.
If that sounds confusing, it's not. It's a great ride!
One unexpected benefit is meeting NEW icons in the thriller setting - and deciding to perhaps pursue that author's series as well as the ones held dear.
What I'll do now that I've read it
It's a no-brainer: For every library patron that loves a particular thriller series, there is double or triple the potential that the patron will enjoy the pairings, and even expand the reading focus.
ITW, never an organization to do things by the book, has hit upon a genius plan to fund the group's work (it doesn't charge member dues) and to reward the authors' readers as well. Both Faceoff and Matchup belong in the collection of libraries where mystery / suspense / thriller books are popular. Or where they might become popular.
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