My April 2024 Reading

Lots of good books in April, including some for the #1937Club, a spine-tingling Orphan X book, a book by Nicholas Stuart Gray I’d always wanted to read, and Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame, which was the most delicious read of the month - I'm surprised I didn't gain weight just reading it!

Historical Fiction

Deep Summer by Gwen Bristow (1937). When a sheltered 15-year-old from Connecticut marries a dashing ne’er do well from South Carolina, they plan to found an empire on a Louisiana plantation. This first in a trilogy describes how hard it is to create a thriving estate in the swamps and the challenges of making a marriage work on an isolated estate. My review.

The Shooting Party by Isabel Colegate (1980). Sir Randolph Nettleby has invited a select group of friends to his estate for a weekend of pheasant shooting in this elegy to life among the British elite before WWI. There is intrigue and illicit romance among the guests: in a favorite part, one of the best shooters writes an impassioned letter to a married woman, then throws it in the trash unsent. A male servant, finding it, is intrigued and repurposes it to the maid he is walking out with but, instead of being impressed, she is puzzled by sentiments that do not seem to be in his voice. When someone is accidentally shot, the party’s pleasure is greatly reduced - at least temporarily.  Has anyone seen the movie?  

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (2023). This doorstopper is about three generations of an Indian family in South India, initially focusing on a young girl at the turn of the 20th century, her arranged marriage, and her descendants. One member of every generation has an unusual malady or fate that he or she will be drowned. I was worried this would be a magical realism book which I dislike but it was more focused on showing this family’s increased exposure to the world beyond its tiny village as the years progressed and how that changed them.  My book group really enjoyed this.

Fiction

Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford (2024). This is a fun story with a serious element about a 77-year-old housewife who tries out for Britain’s famous baking show and becomes a finalist. As she told no one she was even applying, there are some hurt feelings, but it is a real feel good book about family and friendship and I recommend it. My review.

Children’s and YA

The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum (1909)(reread). Dorothy thinks she is merely showing a friendly stranger the road to Butterfield but soon she is far from home, having a series of adventures that will bring her to Oz, just in time for Ozma’s lavish birthday party. My review for Lory's Ozathon24.

Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink (1937)(reread). Mary and Jean are traveling by ship from San Francisco to Australia where their father is managing a ranch. When their ship is wrecked, the girls are eager to help save the babies they have been playing with on board, but the life boat is launched too soon and the girls and four babies wash up on a desert island. This book by the author of Caddie Woodlawn is much beloved. My review.

The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett (1937). Mr. Ruggles is a garbage collector and Mrs. Ruggles takes in laundry to support Lily, Kate, twins (James and John), Jo after his father, Peggy, and baby William. Neighbors may pity Jo and Rosie for having seven rambunctious children but the Ruggles parents are proud of their brood and make light of their poverty in this famous story about a poor family. My review.

The Stone Cage by Nicholas Stuart Gray. This retelling of the Rapunzel story comes from the point of view of the witch’s cat, a creature she enchanted years before. I am a big fan of this author and had been trying to find a copy of this book for a long time. Thank you to Chico State for this Interlibrary Loan! My review.

Gilbert & Sullivan Set Me Free by Kathleen Karr (2003). Based on a true story, this moving novel tells the story of a production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance”—as performed by the inmates of a women’s prison in Massachusetts, 1914. I am told the audio is even better than the printed book.

Mystery/Suspense

A Bullet in the Ballet by Caryl Brahms and S.J. Simon (1937). It is opening night of the London season for the Stroganoff Ballet, a company that is putting on Petroushka, when the male lead is shot and killed. It is up to Detective-Inspector Adam Quill solve this case before too many dancers are killed.  It's basically a parody but was so successful the authors wrote several sequals. My review.

The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (1930)(reread). In Miss Marple’s first case, an overbearing colonel is murdered in the Vicar’s study. The two most obvious suspects have alibis so it seems as if the local detective-inspector is stymied but not Miss Marple! My review.

Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz (2018). Evan was brought up to be an assassin and although he would like stop killing and have a normal life, the US government is trying to eradicate all traces of the orphans it once trained. So Evan’s only hope of survival, in this fourth Orphan X novel, is to destroy those trying to kill the former orphans. This started slow but turned out to be one of the best of the series.

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena (2021)(audio). When Fred and Sheila Merton are brutally murdered the night after an Easter Dinner with their three adult children and their partners, it seems like a robbery gone bad. But it is only logical for the police to suspect those who benefit from the will: their offspring, Fred’s jealous sister, his illegitimate daughter, and the seemingly loyal housekeeper.

The First Law by John Lescroart (2003). When a pawnshop owner is killed in San Francisco, Hardy and Glitsky come to believe the local security company is involved. Glitsky, returning to active duty after being shot, is temporarily put in Payroll so is discouraged from getting involved in a Homicide case but he is frustrated by his old department’s lack of progress on the case and one of Hardy’s clients is falsely accused of the murder and goes on the run. My review.

Quick Curtain by Alan Melville (1934). In this over the top mystery, a prop gun is used for a real murder on opening night of Blue Music. Fortunately, a Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Wilson, in the audience that night with his son Derek, a reporter, is there to investigate the murder. This was only a 3/5 for me. My review.

The Case is Closed by Patricia Wentworth (1937)(reread). In Miss Silver’s second mystery, she is consulted after Marian’s husband is jailed for killing his uncle. Marian’s cousin Hilary suspects one of the witnesses is lying but her pursuit of the truth almost gets her killed. An awful lot of coincidences but enjoyable. My review.

Romance

Sex, Lies and Online Dating by Rachel Gibson (2006) (audio)(reread). A mystery writer is offended to be mistaken for a serial killer just because she has been researching online dating – where she meets the investigating detective. I usually enjoy Gibson’s contemporary romances but this seemed very predictable – after I finished, I realized I had read it when brand new.