Tuesday, August 23, 2022

A TOWN CALLED SOLACE

 Mary Lawson. A TOWN CALLED SOLACE. Vintage, 2021.

Set in Northern Ontario, told in three voices--Clara, the child next door; Elizabeth, the neighbour who is in hospital, and Liam who inherits the house. A U of M book club selection which I did not find a copy of in time to participate. Although I had to wait for the paperback release, it was worth waiting for. 

I really enjoyed this book The timeline is somewhat shattered, but all three characters are dealing with grief, with lies and truths about themselves and others, and with the importance of accepting change. The way Lawson dishes out tidbits of plot as the story progresses, and the way different people change differently, are masterful. 




Saturday, August 13, 2022

FIGHT NIGHT

Miriam Toews. FIGHT NIGHT. Penguin, 2021.

Swiv, 100 months old, looks after her Grandma while they and S's Mom await Gord's birth.

Just finished this this morning, after driving to Winnipeg to buy it. The next UofM book club selection. By the last chapter, I was laughing out loud. Will also copy out the list of "rights/things" stolen from women.

My sixth book since July 1.





FRIEND OF THE DEVIL

Peter Robinson. FRIEND OF THE DEVIL. M&S, 2007.

Two plots. Banks seeks the rapist and killer of a young woman murdered in The Maze.

Annie seeks the killer who brutally slit the throat of an unknown woman in a wheel chair. 




The HANGING GARDEN

 Ian Rankin. THE HANGING GARDEN. Orion, 1998.

An early Rebus, but one of the best I've read. The hanging garden refers to a Nazi war crime. Big Ger is in jail and a younger rival gang is attempting to take over Edinburgh. 



CAMINO ISLAND

John Grisham. Camino Island. Dell, 2018.

Fitzgerald manuscripts stolen. Set in Florida. An independent bookstore. Antiques dealers. A young writer recruited to infiltrate.





A NECESSARY END

 Peter Robinson. A NECESSARY END. Pan, 1989.

Banks and Sandra are still married. 




The GLASS COFFIN

Gail Bowen. The Glass Coffin: A Joanne Kilbourn Mystery. McC&S, 2002.

A doomed winter wedding, about marrying for the wrong reasons.




STICKBOY

  Shane Koyczan. Stickboy. Parlance, 2008. I have been a fan of this BC writer for 25 years, since I first heard about his win in San Fra...