Category: Fiction

The Silver Chair

by C.S. Lewis, 1953 Eustace Scruggs and Jill Pole are at school, Experiment House, and are being chased by bullies. They go uphill to a gate that is usually locked but is open and find themselves on Aslan’s Mountain. Jill pushes Eustace off a huge high cliff, then meets Aslan as he blows Eustace safely […]

Prince Caspian

by C.S. Lewis, 1951 Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie find themselves pulled back to Narnia, but it is thousands of ears later. Cair Paravel is almost completely grown over. They save a dwarf and he takes them to the place where Prince Caspian is battling his evil Uncle Miraz. He was the latest King […]

The Horse and His Boy

by C.S. Lewis, 1954 Shasta is rescued by Bree, a talking horse, and they are making their way to Narnia. They meet Avaris and Hwin, another talking horse, and they decide to go together. Avaris is a Tarkheena and running away from a forced marriage. They go to the city of Tashbaan and both Shasta […]

Jane and the Man of the Cloth

by Stephanie Barron, 1997 Jane and her family go to Lyme – on the sea. First, a commoner is hung. Then later, Captain Fielding is shot, with Geoffrey Sidmouth’s horseshoes stamped in the dirt. Jane solves the crime. It’s not Geoffrey, but Mr. Crawford, the guy who digs for fossils. Lots of the book had […]

Prodigal Summer

by Barbara Kingsolver, 2000 Moth Love – Lusa & Cole Widener – Cole is a farmer, falls in love and marries Lusa, a bug scientist, loves moths. Cole dies in trucking accident. Lusa stays on farm, raises goats, comes to love and accept Cole’s family and Cole’s family comes to love and accept her. Predators […]

The Red Tent

by Anita Diamant, 2007 Story of Dinah, only totally different from the Bible, only the names are the same. Dinah is not raped. Her brothers murder her beloved. She flees to Egypt, mostly about women having periods, babies. Most men are despicable. A few are wonderful. The God of Jacob is only Jacob’s God. Mush […]

Jackdaws

by Ken Follett, 2002 Page-turner, heart-pounding, couldn’t put down. WWII – 6 women recruited to blow up telephone operation in St. Cecile, France. German interrogator, Dieter Franck, almost catches them but Flick (main female) outsmarted him. What a fantastic book! A little too x-rated in parts – not necessary – but, Oh My, what an […]

Jane and the Unpleasantness of Scargrave Manor

by Stephanie Barron, 1996 (I was confused at first because of “Editor’s Foreword” – Did Jane Austen write it or Stephanie Barron?) LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Jane goes to the Scargrave Manor for her friend Isobel, newly married to the Earl. He gets murdered by Barbadoe’s nuts, then Marguerite, Isobel’s maid, gets murdered. Everyone has possibilities. […]

The Shell Seekers

by Rosamunde Pilcher, 1987 Story of Penelope and her three children, Olivia, Nancy, Noel, and their lives. Penelope’s Dad, Lawrence Stern, was a painter and The Shell Seekers was one of his paintings – three children on the beach. Penelope joined WREN and met Ambrose got pregnant – married – went home to Cornwall – […]

Morality for Beautiful Girls

by Alexander McCall Smith, 2001 More #1 Ladies Detective Agency – My favorite so far! #3 Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is depressed. Mma Ramotswe gets him to the orphanage where he is well taken care of. Mma Ramotswe solves the mystery of the brother poisoning – not killed just sick – it was the cook, not […]

The Rapture of Canaan

by Sheri Reynolds, 1995 Grandpa Herman’s Church of Fire & Brimstone & God’s Almighty Baptizing Wind – he rules his extended family – makes the sermons and the rules and punishment for sinning, like living in a cellar for 40 days, sleeping in a grave overnight, getting dunked. Ninah & James are prayer partners. Ninah […]

Wild Mountain Thyme

by Rosamunde Pilcher, 1978 What a great book! Victoria, Oliver, & Thomas go to Benchoile in Scotland-meet the Dunbeath’s Roddy, John – John & Victoria end up together at the end, Oliver a playwright – but oh – what a jerk! Stole Thomas from the Archer’s, hooks back up with Victoria – leaves them both. […]

The Caine Mutiny

by Herman Wouk, 1951 (Pulitzer Prize winner for 1951) One of the best books I have ever read! Willie Keith, WWII Navy, serves Queeg, a poltroon (wretched coward), end up taking over ship in a typhoon, court-martialed. Keefer chickens out – lies – on witness stand. Looks good – gets ship (the Caine) and he’s […]

A Walk in Wolf Wood

by Mary Stewart, 1980 A children’s book not just for children. John & Margaret go on a picnic in Bavaria w/parents. While parents are napping, they go exploring in the forest. Come upon a cabin in the woods, meet a man who is a “werwolf” and embark upon an adventure to save him, Mardian, from […]

Thunder On the Right

by Mary Stewart, 1957 Set in French Pyranees – 2 cousins, Gillian & Jennifer. Jennifer goes to convent to find Gillian – mystery – she’s dead – but Jennifer figures it out – it was someone else. Jennifer finds her finally – w/help of Stephen.

Lost Horizon

by James Hilton, 1933 “Shangri-La – Conway – is it real? Lamasery – Lama – He died – centuries old – picked Conway to succeed him. Conway left with Mallinson. What happened to Mallinson? He died? He was the skeptic. Conway started to believe him. Left with Lo-Tsen, the little Manchu they both loved. Sounds […]