Somebody’s Daughter by David Bell

Somebody’s Daughter

I just read David Bell’s SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER.  It’s a real nail-biter and I can attest to that by the looks of my cuticles. Yikes.

Feed the pets, turn off the phone, and cancel your todo list. And please LOCK your doors.  You’ll read this one in no time flat. I don’t read many books like this. My heart could not take it for one thing. But it’s  a quick read. A good summer book.

A MAN MUST SAVE THE LIFE OF A GIRL WHO JUST MIGHT BE HIS DAUGHTER.

When Michael Frazier’s  ex-wife, Erica, shows up on his doorstep, she drops a bombshell that threatens to rip his family apart: her nine-year-old daughter is missing–and Michael is the father. Unsure if this is true but unwilling to leave the little girl’s fate to chance, Michael follows the elusive trail of the child he’s always wanted but never knew he had. 

Over the course of one night, lies that span a decade come to the surface, putting his marriage and whole family into jeopardy. As the window for a girl’s safe return closes, Michael will have to decide who can be trusted and who is hiding the truth…

I had not read David Bell before reading SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER.  To tell you the truth this is not my usual cup of tea. Having said that, I took the bait and ran with it. For those of you who love a fast-paced thriller, this is your book.

My review copy arrived from Berkley a division of Random House in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, it’s just super.

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Winner Announcement!

How To Find Love In A Bookshop

Alice McKann, you are my lucky winner this morning. A copy of HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP will be on the way to your mailbox soon. I will be in contact to get your mailing info!

Thanks go out to all of you for making this giveaway so successful. This is a great book for those of us who love to read and love books.

This all happened because the publishing people at Penguin were so generous. Thanks, Penguin.

Cheers and happy reading.

The Other Woman by Daniel Silva

The Other Woman

It’s July and Daniel Silva has brought Gabriel Allon  back for another daring and intriguing segment. Hold onto your hat and your seat. You’re about to take part in one helluva ride through espionage, murder, mayhem, and a tour of many of the high-powered countries of the world.

For those of us who follow Daniel Silva on Facebook and other social media we’ve been thrown tidbits for months now. We get a photo. We guess a location. It’s fun and helps get us even more worked up about the actual pub date of the upcoming book.

I just ripped through THE OTHER WOMAN. I know that I have to wait another year for more Allon. But I can’t help myself. Silva brings back some of the group we love, but not all.  Only what he needs to move the story along. This particular spy novel has a lot of dialog. That’s what pushes the story so quickly. Silva is the master of dialog.  And Allon is so witty. Such dry humor. Silva knows how to perfectly insert the wit just where it needs to be.

Who is the other woman? That’s the question? Of course. Will you be able to guess?  You’ll be taken on a wild ride around the world and given many pieces of the puzzle.  He waited many chapters before introducing a pivotal character. You must pay attention to the details.  With so much information on the table you might think it would be difficult to keep track of who’s who. It’s really not. But you can’t skip around.

Peeks are given of Chiara and the children.  Shamron has a cameo. The usual spies mostly show up. But absolutely no art restoration. So those of you who look forward to that part of the story will once again be disappointed. However, I found myself okay with it. There is so much to the story. And, now Allon is the Office Chief with even less time for anything outside the Office….

There’s a mole somewhere.  The mole must be stopped. Many people are being killed. Russians and Brits and Americans are involved. But who is the mole and where is it?

Silva is so exciting to read. I found my heart pounding crazily more than once. And my mind was all wound up trying to figure it out. Who is the mole?

Daniel Silva

You won’t be disappointed. Allon is back. With a vengeance.

Some months ago I discovered that they will be making a movie of one of the Allon books.  My choice for Allon is the obvious choice, Daniel Silva. When I’m reading these Gabriel Allon books I have always pictured Allon as Silva. Can’t help it. Love it.

I actually read a digital review copy of THE OTHER WOMAN provided by the publishing company of Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review. I loved it, of course!!

Giveaway! How To Find Love In A Bookshop by Veronica Henry

How To Find Love In A Bookshop

Oh, look! A delightful new novel just out in a trade paperback edition about love and a bookshop. HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP by Veronica Henry is just what you need to add to your summer reading.  Tucked away in the cozy little Cotswold village of Peasebrook is the most charming literary bookshop called Nightingale Books. Owned by Julius Nightingale and visited by loyal customers who are great characters, Nightingale’s is much more than just a store that sells books. Julius’s quaint shop has been a haven for the townspeople for more than twenty years. And his story begins at the end…

Emilia Nightingale has arrived from Hong Kong where she’s been working. She’s come back to Peasebrook to be with her father Julius who is dying of cancer.  So what’s to become of his beloved bookshop?  Emilia makes a deathbed promise to keep Nightingale Books alive not knowing what’s ahead.

It’s not easy running a small Independent bookshop even under the best of circumstances. But when Emilia discovers that the finances are deep in the red she begins to see what she’s gotten herself into. Her father always said he didn’t “do” numbers.  As if things aren’t difficult enough, the big bad wolf is trying to beat the door down. His name is Ian Mendip and he is pressuring Emilia to sell to him. He needs the land> You can see where this is going.

There are a lot of characters in this novel. Almost too many. However, they each fit nicely into the story and have tales of their own that are all about love and keeping it together. And books. They are all about books.

I love the scenes at Peasebrook Manor House. This is the big house where a lot of action happens. (Shades of Downton Abbey) The lady of the Manor is Sarah and she has a secret concerning her relationship with Julius. Then there’s Alice, Sarah’s daughter, who is slated to marry a very bad fellow named Hugh. And Dillon who is the gardener.  He’s handsome and perfect for Alice, but she’s already taken.

There’s a renown chef who is cooking small dinners for two in her cottage. And a father of a young boy who manages to get closer to his son through books recommended by Emilia. And an aging bookseller who remembers the love of her life and gets the chance of a lifetime.

So many people, so many books. So much love. So many stories. And Emilia is in the midst of them all. Will she stay and run the bookshop? Will she find love? Will Alice marry Hugh? I think you are going to fall in love with this sweet little book filled with eclectic characters and love and books.

This book will have legs. It all culminates on Christmas. So this is your gift for the booklover in your life this holiday season!

I’ve been working at Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda for two years now. Working in an Independent Bookshop is so unlike working for a  big box store. I relate to the customers in Nightingale Books. I relate to the owners.  This store reminds me of our little store more than any I’ve read about before. Readers come into small bookshops for many reasons. They are all happy ones.  The store is a community haven where people feel safe and somewhat sound. They are looking for that special book. And booksellers in small shops pride themselves on putting just this perfect book in their hands. They also enjoy talking about their books with other people who obviously love them as much as they do. And they appreciate the personal treatment they receive from small stores. We love our customers and love showing them books we love!

My wonderful finished trade paper copy of HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP by

Veronica Henry

Veronica Henry came from the generous publishing house of PenguinBooks.  Thank you so much. I absolutely adored this book!!

Copperfish Books

Copperfish Books

in Punta Gorda, Florida is featuring  HOW TO FIND LOVE IN  A BOOKSHOP as the bookclub pick in September. I will keep you posted as to the date and times. How fun is this going to be!! This fabulous little book is available now at Copperfish and is discounted 10%. This event is sure to be a big favorite.

Penguin Books is providing one trade paper copy of HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP to one very lucky winner. Please leave a comment below to enter my giveaway. I’d love to hear about your local Indy bookshop.  Only U.S. addresses, please, and no P.O. boxes, as usual. I will choose one very lucky winner on Monday, July 16. Good luck everyone!

Anne Tyler Is As American As Apple Pie

What on earth is a cactus doing on the cover of an Anne Tyler novel! Well, a very small part of the novel takes place in the desert. Boom.

Willa is just a kid in 1967 when the CLOCK DANCE opens.  Her mother has temporarily flown the coop and her dad is trying to hold down the fort.  We get a really good picture into their family life.

Move forward ten years and Willa brings her boyfriend home for the holidays where he announces their engagement.  Willa is not so keen to marry Derek, but when she sees how much her mother is against the marriage she jumps right into it.

Fast forward  years from then. Derek is killed in an incident of road rage and Willa is left to raise their sons herself.

Part 2. Willa is in her early sixties and has remarried a man named Peter. They are living out west in Arizona.  She gets a call from a stranger that her son’s old girlfriend Denise is in the hospital and her daughter Cheryl needs someone to care for her.  Cheryl  is nine.  Willa drags Peter to Baltimore where they stay in Denise’s house with the dog named airplane  and the girl.  Meanwhile Denise is in the  hospital with a gunshot injury. And where did that come from?

Everything changes. Enter eccentric neighbors. These are all people you would likely meet in a somewhat seedier place.  But these characters truly make this a memorable story. Their stories ring true. They bring a certain normalcy to an otherwise odd story.

Peter eventually becomes tired of this and goes back home to Arizona.  Willa keeps finding more and more reasons to stay on. She is beginning to feel like she really is Cheryl’s grandmother even though we know better. She is feeling needed, and even possibly loved. The bond between the young girl and the grandmotherly woman is refreshing.

Anne Tyler

Anne Tyler is the queen of subtlety. A master of telling the quiet story.  She makes the seemingly mundane sparkle and pop.  And she knows her Baltimore.  She also knows what makes people tick.  This short novel might be small, but it speaks volumes about the human spirit.

I think  you will love the ending. I sure did.

I read my review copy of CLOCK DANCE digitally.  I thank the nice people at Knopf.  It’s another keeper.

The Banker’s Wife

The Banker’s Wife

Cristina Alger steps it up a notch with her new thriller THE BANKER’S WIFE.  This author of THE DARLINGS brings us an international thriller that has it all.  Her characters grab hold of the story and run with it! A spider web of intrigue that rings with authenticity. These are people you find yourself rooting for as your heart thumps around in your chest with horror.

Matthew Werner and his beautiful wife Annabel have moved to Geneva, Switzerland to make quick money. He’s working for a mega-banking system and dealing with wealth management. Matthew finds himself deeply involved with the richest and most corrupt people in the world. And how will this work out for him?

Kirkus says--A Private plane takes off from London with two passengers aboard only to crash into the  icy, blank mountains of the Alps, setting off an investigation that will expose corruption in the most elite financial institutions. 

Who is Fatima Amir? She’s a hedge fund investor tied to the corrupt Syrian regime.  You know what that means. Assad is somehow involved and that is NEVER a good thing.

Along comes Marina Tourneau an investigative journalist who is engaged to a man whose father is about to announce a run for the presidency in U.S..

For those of you who enjoy a fast-paced thriller that keeps you engaged this is your read. It’s packed with energy, suspense, and, of course, murder.  What makes it totally plausible is that Alger

Cristina Alger

worked as a financial analyst  and corporate attorney. She finds finance incredibly thrilling and since she’s so comfortable with the nuances of financial firms and transactions she’s able to bring a lot to the table. Very authentic.  She also knows Switzerland and has visited extensively. It shows in her attention to detail.

Alger says she was tired of the unreliable narrator in so many recent novels. So am I. It seems like every other book that comes down the pike these days is touting itself as the next GONE GIRL … Alger brings us a fresh, new thriller that will spark your intellect and keep you turning the pages. And, just look who loved her book! You’ll see blurbs by Lee Child and Nelson DeMille and many more. Need I say more!

My finished hardcover arrived from Putnam ,a division of Penguin Random House, in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, it’s on fire! Perfect for right now.  THE BANKER’S WIFE goes on sale tomorrow, July 3. We will have copies at Copperfish

Books

Copperfish Books

 

in Punta Gorda later in the week. They will be discounted 20% for your reading pleasure.

Boardwalk Summer by Meredith Jaeger

Boardwalk Summer

I read this one in no time flat. BOARDWALK SUMMER sure does have a compelling cover.  And once you start turning the pages you’ll find yourself ensconced  in the summer of 1940,  filled with pageantry, mystery, and glamour.  And much, much more.

When Violet Harcourt wins the title of Miss California in her hometown of Santa Cruz,  the judges have no idea she is hiding a secret.  A big secret. You see, Violet is married. Only single young women with no children can  enter…. When her husband finds out there is Hell to pay, literally.  Charles is the worst kind of abusive husband.  No one knows.

Move to  2007. We meet a single mother  who’s working hard to make it on her own. Her name is Marisol Cruz.  She lives in a small cottage in Santa Cruz that belonged to her grandfather. He was a famous performer on the boardwalk years ago. When Mari is doing some research into her town’s history, she comes across a photo of her grandfather with Violet. All the articles talk about Violet coming to a devastating ending.

This novel begins lightly, but quickly takes a turn. The subject of abuse is such a hot-button item. It’s unfathomable the number of women who are being abused right under our noses. Been happening forever. Entire families are torn apart. Jaeger manages to tackle this sensitive issue in a way that makes you think you are being allowed a peek inside these people’s personal lives. I will never forget Violet.

The subject of the boardwalk on the coast brings back memories for me and my family. For as many years as I can recall, we’ve been enjoying sunsets on Mallory Square in Key West, Florida. Not only are the sunsets so memorable, it’s the street performers who truly steal the show. Some have been performing for years. Personally, I am a big fan of  Dominique the Cat Man. Surprise. But makes me wonder what their stories are….

Every family has their secrets. I’m convinced EVERY family has them. And I love reading about them.

My trade paper edition of BOARDWALK SUMMER by Meredith Jaeger arrived from William Morrow publishers, a division of Harper Collins, in exchange for an honest review. It’s a great summer read. I was delighted to find so much substance in a beach read. We’ll be carrying BOARDWALK SUMMER at Copperfish Books

Copperfish Books

in Punta Gorda. Come on in and pick up your copy later this week!