My December 2023 Reads

Holiday shopping and planning prevented me from as many December reviews as I had planned but I read some good books, although none that made my top ten for the year.  The two best were The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena and Babbacombe's by Noel Streatfeild, writing as Susan Scarlett:

Mystery/Suspense

Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict (2023). ‘Twas the Night before Christmas Eve and all through the train, a murderer was plotting and it’s up to retired police detective Roz Parker to explain! My review.

The White Priory Murders by Carter Dickson/John Dickson Carr (1934). This is a classic locked room mystery featuring a noted sleuth from highly regarded author so I expected to like it. Sadly, I found it quite tedious, with mostly unpleasant characters. Even after reading it, I am not sure how the murder was committed but probably I was trying to get through it too quickly.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena (2016)(audio). As I read this book about a baby abducted while her parents are at a dinner party next door, I remembered how my sister living in an apartment with infants sent the money in an envelope down in the elevator for deliveries rather than leave the children alone for three minutes.  Not to be judgmental - it's a plot device!  But the parents are so fearful of being judged they are less than candid with the police.  However, the book was very entertaining, full of twists, some of which I guessed and some were big surprises. I have decided I like this Canadian author.

The Manor House by Gilly Macmillan (2023). When Nicole and Tom win the lottery, they build their dream house, buy their dream cars, etc. But when Tom dies unexpectedly, Nicole is the first suspect. She is quite alone because most of their old friends were spiteful about their new riches, but the couple at the Manor House and their housekeeper are there for her. This book was full of vile characters and the plot twists were both predictable and over the top at the same time. Disappointing because I thought I liked her books but looking back, I see I only read I Know You Know and gave it just a 3.

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales (2023) (audio). An appealing cover and concept – a murder takes place at a ball and the unfashionable elder sister, fascinated by crime, decides to investigate; however, it seemed full of anachronisms (harder to document while listening during one’s commute), improbable situations, and holes in the plot (also, how can you have a ball with about 15 people?). I think this is why I don’t usually like historical mysteries – I can’t turn off my editorial eye (ear?) and that can spoil one’s enjoyment. You should see the book I read recently that coined the phrase “martyr’s complex” in the 17th century! No, I will spare you that pleasure!

The Annam Jewel by Patricia Wentworth (1925). Three conspirators stole a precious jewel from a holy shrine in what is now Vietnam but because there is no honor among thieves this begins a 25-year dispute over ownership that extends to the next generation. I read this for Dean Street December. This is a standalone that does not feature Miss Silver. My review.

Fiction

Babbacombe’s by Susan Scarlett. (1941). When Beth Carson finishes school, she get a job at Babbacombe’s, the highly regarded department store where her father has worked for many years. A chance meeting with a handsome young man who turns out to be the owner’s son turns out well for both: stung by Beth's work ethic, he is finally motivated to please his father by taking work seriously and Beth now has a friend, although she tells him both fathers would disapprove of a relationship. I bought this for my sister then read it for Dean Street December before wrapping it. My review.

Historical Fiction

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson (audio). Clara Button, a recent widow, and her irrepressible friend Ruby Monroe, manage an underground library in the Bethnal Green Tube station during WWII. This story is not only about the two women but also the many families taking refuge from the Blitz underground and how the library changed their lives. My review.

Romance/Historical Romance

Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa (2023) (audio). Sophie is a romance author with writer’s block and an urgent deadline. Her landlord, Dash Montrose, is a former teen heartthrob who is trying to stay sober. As Sophie decides to contact all her former relationships, male and female, to figure out why she’s never been in love, she wonders if a fling with Dash would get her back on track with her writing. While I liked that the hero had a real problem and was trying hard to avoid relapsing, the story itself dragged.

The Inheritance by Nora Roberts (2023). In book one of a new romantic suspense trilogy, graphic designer Sonya MacTavish learns an uncle she never knew existed has died and left her a big house on the Maine coast. Good news: handsome unattached lawyer is there to give her the keys. Bad news: the house is haunted by past brides who lived there and it’s going to take all three books to solve their murders and make the house habitable. I got a little tired of the ghosts and their cutesy way of communicating through music but I enjoyed the descriptions of Sonya’s graphic design work and the best friend who comes to live with her in Maine.

The Poetics of Passion by Delphine Ross (2023). This historical romance sounded really good: eldest sister forced to support her family by (anonymously) writing salacious poetry and the young artist who collaborates with her on a children’s book and guesses her secret. Only the entire book was ridiculous! The heroine is ostensibly trying to avoid scandal so her sister can make a good match yet behaves recklessly and improperly. I blame Bridgerton for the raft of silly and improbable books it pains me to read (sometimes they are well reviewed so I check them out, start reading, and then discover the flaws).

Nonfiction

Spam Tomorrow by Verily Anderson (1956). Anderson’s lively description of her eccentric family, her brief war work, and her marriage and homemaking during WWII is not merely amusing but offers a different perspective on the Homefront. I read this for Dean Street December. My review.

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett (2021). This is a charming collection of essays on family and friendship. The author begins by writing about her three fathers – her birth father and her two stepfathers, and how she persuaded them to pose for a picture together at her sister’s wedding. She is funny and poignant throughout.   I keep hearing Natalie Merchant when write about this book.

Children’s

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The ageless classic and first installment of Lory’s Ozathon!  My review.

Stay tuned for The Land of Oz, coming soon!