An engaging Victorian English murder mystery

Medium Dead: An Alexandra Gladstone Mystery
Paula Paul
Random House - Alibi
April 2015


I enjoyed this -- a different kind of murder-mystery set in England during Queen Victoria's reign.  The novel begins with a murdered medium who was contracted to help Her Majesty contact Prince Albert.  The local female doctor with her village contacts, along with the local peer, works to solve the crime wherein the Queen herself is implicated.

What's different about this book?
As other reviewers have mentioned, this novel is similar in tone to Winspear's sleuth novels: the time and setting, the quiet tone, a serious crime, and a strong heroine who lives contrary to the expected role of women for the time.  What's different is the touch of paranormal (never fully posited in the book, but present enough to add some interest), a bit of romantic interest, and the details of surgery and patients in the rural English setting.  I enjoyed the diverse sources of clues that the author crafted:  It seemed each of the characters in the novel had something to contribute toward the solving of the crime.  And I appreciated that the solution was cleverly embedded in that setting: not a clear giveaway.

What I'll do now that I've read it
This is an easy book to share: Friends and library patrons with diverse interests, of diverse ages, and with diverse reading histories will be interested in this.  The pleasant but engaging plot line as well as the setting and characters will appeal to many readers I work with.  Not a taut, suspenseful read -- still an enjoyable one.

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A romance to remember

Premiere, A Love Story
Tracy Ewens
Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
October 2014

It's been a while since I read this involving of a romance.  It was a pleasant read.

What's different about this title 
The premise for this story is an intricately envisioned and well-written world with characters that the reader cares about and becomes emotionally involved with.  There are some points where I grew impatient with the heroine -- but I was involved enough that I wasn't aware of reading.

What I'll do now that I've read this 
There are a lot of library patrons who prefer ebooks -- and who enjoy a good romance.  While our libraries don't circulate Kindle editions, I'll encourage those who have that device or an app for Kindle reading to look this title up.  I'm lLooking forward to the sequels that will complete this series.

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Lots of action, easy to keep one's attention

Tainted Blood: Book 2 in the Hell's Belle Series
Karen Greco
October 2014

To properly enjoy this book, I needed to purchase and read the first in the series.  It was worth it:  I enjoyed the action and the relationships -- an entertaining read if less smooth than something out of a big publishing house.

What's different about this book 
The  heroine is tough-assed military: half vampire and, as she learned in the first book, half witch.  That combination is a new one for me.  The vampire theme is a common one in today's popular market, but this story takes some of the best from what's gone before:  strong relationships within a family of sorts, tight action, and lots of plot twists. The difference comes in the fresh feel and the new environment.  (The super-duper motorcycle sold me, as well.)

What I'll do now that I've read it 
This series would probably be a quick sell to someone who needs lots of action to keep his/her focus, and to someone who enjoys the extended motif of supernatural creatures (lots of them in these tales).  After all, it was that action and plot challenges that caught my eye.  I'll be talking this title to my studied-out colleagues.

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Narrative at its most literary

All the Light We Cannot See
Scribner
2014

Sometimes "literary" narrative is not a good draw for someone just looking for a "good read."  This book brings the best of compelling story and literary narrative together:  a must-read, and I claim this as someone who doesn't not use the phrase "must-read" lightly.

 What's different about this book?
The jacket blurbs and the brief reviews I had read about this book did not convince me to read it.  But I kept seeing those reviews and the sheer weight of those reviews caught me.  This book is different because the war story and the blind girl and the Nazi youth somehow come together to make an amazingly engaging story.  I don't believe any words I could write would convince someone to read this -- but I may be able to add to the avalanche of reviews that will reach some other reader's eyes.

What I'll do now that I've read it
I am already book-talking this to my fellow librarians, and am scheduled to do so with my patrons in the coming weeks.  On so many levels, this book will appeal to readers: those who love historical fiction, those who love romance, those who love coming-of-age tales and mystery and political intrigue.  Family is important in this story, and friendships and community.  This is now a part of my library collections.

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A Political Thriller -- in a Literary Device

All the Old Knives

by Olen Steinhauer
St. Martin's Press
March 2015

Spy-thriller Steinhauer has written another powerful story, this about two CIA agents still imperiled years later by an international terrorist event.  The plot line in his latest book takes several surprising 180-degree turns that has the reader racing to keep up with the story.  In all, this suspense tale presents a great read, though different in several ways from his The Tourist trilogy.

What's different about this book 
Described as "cerebral" by the publisher, this book is built on the literary technique of a single point in time serving as the narrative focus.  At a quiet dinner, ten years after they were involved in a political fiasco, two agents arrange to meet once again.  This device of having as much of the action as possible occur at a single setting is well-crafted, and by skillfully providing background and context, Steinhauer succeeds in developing his cast of characters as well as drawing the reader into the storyline.  Unexpected twists and developments in the narration slowly serve to reveal earlier puzzling references.  This tale is masterfully crafted and delivered to the reader who should trust Steinhauer to make it all make sense.

What I'll do now that I've read it
This will be easy to book-talk to my mystery-suspense genre readers of all ages.  Putting this book on the library shelf next to the Tourist trilogy will seem somehow incongruous -- the "feel" of the book is different from those earlier stories.  But All the Old Knives will be an entertaining read, if not to the same depth of engagement as The Tourist.

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YA mystery suspense with a touch of paranormal

When
by Victoria Laurie
Publisher Disney Book Group . Disney-Hyperion
2015

The story hook of a teen who somehow sees the date of death for the people she sees around her has been done.  But this plot line twists differently, and it makes for a more enjoyable read.

What's different about this book 
The story of how Maddie learns to understand the digits she sees superimposed on people's foreheads makes an intriguing start to a a book I enjoyed reading.  And instead of being mired in angst and heaviness, this story moves into a compelling murder-mystery suspense.  Maddie and those she loves are impacted dangerously, but all is well in the end.  A pleasantly "stand-alone" novel that ends (almost) too well.  

What I'll do now 
This book will be an easy book-talk sell.  We'll be adding this title as soon as it is released to each of my young adult novels.  Could work for middle as well as high school libraries and readers.  Good stuff!

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The medium of paper

The Paper Magician, Bk 1
by Charlie N. Holmberg
published in 2014 by 47North


This is a quick-to-engage story of an English girl who is appointed to apprentice in the magic of paper and Folding.  Action, adventure, strong female protagonist, and just a hint of romance.  It's not toooo obviously a book in a series -- the ending is satisfying.

What's different about this book 
Magic as an environment for historical fiction is a double-edged sword:  It can create really interesting stories, or it can go beyond the edge of what is comfortable.  This book happily situates its plot and tale well within the realm of Good Read.  I enjoyed the characters: stark good versus complete evil, with a touch of ingenue thrown in.  Good stuff.

What I'll do now that I've read the book 
I've already  placed an order for copies of this for young adult libraries.  I'm looking forward to the sequel(s) because Holmberg has created a compelling protagonist, a complex plot, and a pleasurable context.  

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Tesla and his legend

Tesla's Attic, Bk 1 of The Accelerati Trilogy
by Neal Shusterman, Eric Elfman
2014 by Disney-Hyperion

Pitch-perfect for a middle school read.  The authors have nailed the engaging plot line, the humorous situations, and the reality of middle school dialog in this fun story.  Nick and his family need to heal from the loss of their mother and wife, and where better than in the musty, dusty, and dangerous home of Great Aunt Gertrude?

What's different about this book
Maybe I've been reading too much high school teen angst, but this fun and compelling read was a pleasure.  I had appreciated Shusterman's older young-adult writing, so I wasn't surprised by the deft writing in this tale.  But the humor and the spot-on crafting of adventure were perfect for the middle-grade readers:  enjoyable characterization (without too much drama) of some sympathetic protagonists, who are surely more mature than most middle school students.  The suspense and the sophistication of the obstacles in the story made this a book I looked forward to escaping in.

What I'll do now that I've read it
I am already book-talking this to my school patrons, both students and teachers.  We'll have a lot of fun with this book.  I'm looking forward to more intrigue and more adventures with the mystical engines in Tesla's Attic.  And just what do the Accelerati want from those engines??

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Maybe Chet's best

Paw and Order: A Chet and Bernie Mystery
Spencer Quinn
Atria Books

New releases in Quinn's exceptional private eye series are rare and treasured.  This newest release may be the best yet.

What's different about this book
All the analogies to Robert Parker's Spenser series have already been made, but the quality of this set-up, a self-aware and narrating canine, is exceptional, as were Parker's novels.  As is Chet himself.  And yes, Bernie his human is also great.  In this seventh episode, Quinn manages to hinge the story to the novel just past, and yet move the plot forward with all the major characters and situations still in place.  I like the shift of scenery, once again out of Arizona and this time in Washington.  And the engagement and quality of the story line continues to build.  

I particularly liked that the usual Chet-separated-from-Bernie episode was shortened (I don't like Chet in danger or away from Bernie), and I particularly like that he was rescued by someone who perhaps has an even better sense of Chet's value than Bernie himself.  Great development.

What I'll do now that I've read it
This is definitely an item to own and share --  I'm placing it into the appropriate library collections and talking it up to my friends and family and patrons.  What's not to like about a Private Eye dog who always gets the better of the felines around?

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As Red as Blood (Bk 1, The Snow White Trilogy)
by Salla Simukka, translated by Owen Witesman
Published by Skyscape, 2014

This young adult mystery suspense is set in contemporary Finland, in the world of high school, where things get unexpectedly dangerous.  Billed as a YA Girl with the dragon tattoo, I was expecting great things.  

What's different about this book
After Larsson's thrilling work, we are all cued for murder and mystery in a frigid setting.  The twist of a high school heroine who, with her own code of ethics, must confront a grievous wrong is an excellent start to a good read.  While lacking Larsson's deft writing and skillful plotting, this offers a good read.

What I'll do now that I've read it 
At some point, my teen libraries will probably get copies, and I'll have this title in the mental treasury to share when the right student asks for something of this nature.  Good enough to recommend and purchase.

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