My August 2023 Reads

August was an excellent reading month, especially for historical fiction where I awarded five stars to The Marriage Portrait and Mrs. Porter Calling and greatly enjoyed two romances, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal and Romantic Comedy. I also revisited an eventing series – what’s eventing, you may well ask (see below). And the house diagonally behind me got hit by lightning Saturday, which caused a fire and apparently destroyed the internet and cable wiring for both streets. I am grateful we did not lose our power as happened elsewhere in the area but I hope Comcast will restore service soon!

Mystery/Suspense

The Moth Catcher by Ann Cleeves (2015) (audio). In the seventh Vera Stanhope mystery, she and her team have two murders in a small village to investigate and the only thing the victims have in common is their interest in moths. This was entertaining but I thought too many red herrings and I wondered if any reader could have guessed whodunnit. Well, eventually I guessed who but not why. Maybe you miss some of the clues when listening instead of reading?

The Arsenic Labyrinth by Martin Edwards (2007). In the third Lake District mystery, historian Daniel Kind’s annoying girlfriend Miranda abandons him for London, much to his and my relief. His friendship with Detective Chief Inspector Hannah Scarlett (whose unappreciative boyfriend owns a bookstore - she never seems to read anything so clearly they are not well suited) continues to develop and Daniel is eager to help with her current cold case, although he should be researching his project on John Ruskin. What is he going to live on now that Miranda spent much of his savings on fancy renovations to their Northumberland cottage?  Nothing against Ruskin but that book is unlikely to be a bestseller . . . 

As the Crow Flies by Damien Boyd (2015). Set in Devon, this series launch features a police detective investigating the death of his former climbing partner, Jake Fayter. Jake’s parents beg Nick to find out if their son was murdered and in the process, Nick uncovers a lot of nefarious activity that led to Jake’s death.

The Mulberry Bush by Charles McCarry (2015). This is a novel of revenge set in which the nameless main character decides to take on those at the CIA who humiliated and destroyed his father. I appreciated the revenge theme but found everyone in the book too unpleasant to enjoy. This was one of my 20 Books of Summer or I would not have finished it. My review.

Historical Fiction

Foster by Claire Keegan (2007). A small, nameless girl is sent by her parents to live with relatives in the country, where she finds affection and security. Just as she has gained confidence, she is reclaimed like a parcel. This was a great book for discussion with my fellow former law clerks and our judge. My review.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell (2022). Lucrezia de Medici, the young Duchess of Ferrara, faces challenges with her husband and his family when she is forced to marry her deceased sister’s bridegroom. Like the author’s Hamnet, also set in the 16th century, the book is impeccably researched and beautifully told, although disturbing. My review.

Mrs. Porter Calling by A.J. Pearce (2023). In this third installment about Emmy Lake and her friends, the Women’s Friend magazine has a new owner who tries to make it upscale by removing all the features the readers love, including Emmy’s advice column. My review.

Fiction

Sally on the Rocks by Winifred Boggs (1915). Sally leaves Paris for Little Crampton to secure her financial future by marrying the affluent bank manager but he is unbearably smug and boring. Can she bring herself to go through with it? Maybe she should let her rival, a widow with a child, have a clear path. My review.

Midwives by Chris Bohjalian (1997). A courtroom story (a bit slow-moving to be a thriller) about a midwife who performs an emergency C-section on her patient to save the child, told from the perspective of the midwife’s teenage daughter. This was also one of my 20 Books of Summer. My review.

Contemporary Romance

Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid (2013). This is the first book in a series about a knitting group in Chicago and begins with Janie Moris losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job on the same day. Fortunately, the security guard in the office building she has secretly lusted for is intrigued enough to help her out.

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (2023 )(audio). Sally Milz, a comedy writer for a show like SNL, thinks she is too worldly-wise to fall for that week’s celebrity host and musical guest, Noah Brewster. He disarms her by asking for help with a sketch and a friendship starts to develop until she sabotages it with her sarcasm. Just as well, right, because how could ordinary Sally have a relationship with a superstar? Noah was too good to be true but I found this book extremely fun!  

Historical Romance

The Shadow Earl by Stella Riley (2023). After the Earl of Hazelmere disappeared, while on a Grand Tour with his cousin, his devoted fiancée Sophia refused to believe he was dead. But when he returns after five years’ absence, he is changed and wants revenge on his enemies more than a life with her. Fans of Heyer will enjoy Riley’s 19th century-set books but my favorites are her English Civil War novels.

A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin (2023). Ten years ago, Eliza gave up handsome but fortuneless Oliver Courtenay to please her family and married his uncle, the earl of Somerset. Now her husband is dead and Oliver has inherited the title – which would be perfect if he had forgiven her. My review.

Juvenile/YA

A War of Wizards by Margaret Storey (1976). This is part of a fantasy series for very young readers, maybe 8 years old, featuring two children, Timothy and Ellen, and a white witch named Melinda. My review.

Mirabile Dictu, as my Latin teacher used to say! Many years ago, my friend Bettina lent me a trilogy that I read but forgot to return (in fairness, she was living in New Zealand or London at the time, so not very convenient but still shameful). When she told me Caroline Akrill had written a fourth book in this series 40 years after they were published, I ordered book 4 and reread the first three. I assume I looked up “eventing” then but I did not remember what it was: 

Eventing is an equestrian event where a single horse and rider combine and compete against other competitors across the three disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test that required mastery of several types of riding.

Eventer’s Dream #1 (1981), A Hoof in the Door #2 (1982), 

#3 (1983) (reread)

Elaine has a burning ambition to be an event rider but first, she needs a sponsor, a suitable horse, and somewhere to keep it. She takes a job with an impoverished family that has a stable of horses and becomes drawn into their schemes to keep the estate afloat, although it often seems to her that she is doing all the work and the Fane sisters never get around to paying her.

20 Books of Summer: I wound up reading 11/20 – too many library books distracted me but I will probably still get to most of these before next summer!