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. […]
Category: Fiction
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. […]
Nails
by Peter Bowen, 2006 Yuch! Don’t waste any more time on this “Montana” author – nothing good about him.
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 […]
Scarlet Feather
by Maeve Binchy, 2001 Irish-Dublin-Tom & Cathy start dream catering business and they are the best. They both are with others (Marcella & Neil) but end up together at the end. Yahoo! Neil is a jerk and so is his family – the Mitchell’s. Marcella wants to be a model but at 25, finds out […]
The Pilot’s Wife
by Anita Shreve, 1999 Page-turner. Pilot’s wife coping with his death in plane crash – mystery – was it a bomb or suicide – set in New Hampshire coast – plane crashed in ocean off Ireland. Turns out he had a secret marriage and 2 kids in Ireland – and it was IRA involvement that […]
Light from Heaven
by Jan Karon, 2005 Last Mitford book – good – got tired of them!
Shepherds Abiding
by Jan Karon, 2001 He does a nativity scene for Cynthia. Hope Winchester becomes a believer (Happy Endings Book Store), falls in love with Scott.
In This Mountain
by Jan Karon, 2001 Pastor Tim hits a man and his dog due to diabetic shock – kills the dog, man is okay – Baptist pastor – nice guy! Never thanks Hessie Mayhew for the gorgeous arrangement she brought him. He gave to head nurse. I don’t know about that – oversight on Jan Karon’s […]
The Glass Lake
by Maeve Binchy, 1994 757 pages – Helen McMahon disappears from Lough Glass leaving her husband and 2 kids. Kit, her daughter, finds a note to Martin & burns it – it was a suicide note, Kit thought – but it really wasn’t – it was an explanation to Martin from Helen of why she […]
Ladder of Years
by Anne Tyler, 1995 Delia Grinstead, married to Sam, a family doctor; three kids, walks away from them while on a beach vacation. Ends up living in a new town, Bay Borough, for a year and a half. Comes back for daughter’s wedding – ends up staying. Couldn’t put down (helped that we had snow […]
The Year of Pleasures
by Elizabeth Berg, 2005 What a quick read! Bette Nolan loses her husband, John, to cancer. Leaves Boston, drives to Midwest, picks a town, a house, starts a new life. Opens a store, ‘What A Woman Wants,’ renews friendship with 3 old college roommates. Doesn’t open store until the very end. Great book! Loved all […]
A New Song
by Jan Karon, 1999 Cynthia and Father Kavanaugh go to island church on White Cap. Frenchwoman, Helene Pringle, rents the rectory in Mitford – steals the angel. Is an heir of the Baxter’s. Morris Love, organist with Turrette’s Syndrome and deformities – starts out as enemy, becomes friend, comes to Jesus.
My Sister’s Keeper
by Jodi Picoult, 2003 Interesting: One sister, Kate, has leukemia, and Anna is born to be her donor. Anna decides to go to a lawyer to sue for the rights to her own body when they want her kidney. Loved the lawyer, Campbell Alexander, and his dog, Judge, a seizure dog.