Domestic Thrillers - danger lurks at home

What happens when home is no longer your refuge and loved ones become menacing? Domestic thrillers capture a truly frightening part of the human experience - how do we cope when home and family, supposed to be safe and protecting, turn on us. The dangerous world should involve terrorists, gangsters, serial killers - not our spouses or children. Why are we loving these books? Is it because we love the pacing, the plot twists, and the suspense you would read in a Lee Child or a David Baldacci, with the added layer of dread that comes with the knowledge that this could happen to me? Some recently published domestic thrillers for you to try ... while keeping a careful eye on the person across the breakfast table!

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

"On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior." publisher

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

"Christine wakes up every morning in an unfamiliar bed with an unfamiliar man. And every morning that man must explain that he is Ben, he is her husband; she is forty-seven years old; and a terrible accident two decades earlier decimated her ability to form new memories. But it’s the phone call from a neurologist named Dr. Nash that directs her to her hidden journal. For the past few weeks, Christine has been recording her activities and rereading past entries, learning the facts of her life as retold by the husband upon whom she is completely dependent. As the entries accumulate, Christine finds herself asking more and more questions—about what she missed and what Ben might not be telling her…" publisher

How to be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman

"Marta and Hector have been married for a long time. Through the good and bad; through raising a son and sending him off to life after university. So long, in fact, that Marta finds it difficult to remember her life before Hector. He has always taken care of her, and she has always done everything she can to be a good wife—as advised by a dog-eared manual given to her by Hector’s aloof mother on their wedding day. But now, something is changing. Small things seem off. A flash of movement in the corner of her eye, elapsed moments that she can’t recall. Visions of a blonde girl in the darkness that only Marta can see. Perhaps she is starting to remember—or perhaps her mind is playing tricks on her. As Marta’s visions persist and her reality grows more disjointed, it’s unclear if the danger lies in the world around her, or in Marta herself. " publisher

Before We Met by Lucie Whitehouse

"Hannah, independent, headstrong and determined not to follow in the footsteps of her bitterly divorced mother, has always avoided commitment. But one hot New York summer she meets Mark Reilly, a fellow Brit, and is swept up in a love affair that changes all her ideas about what marriage might mean. Now, living in their elegant, expensive London townhouse and adored by her fantastically successful husband, she knows she was right to let down her guard. But when Mark does not return from a business trip to the States and when the hours of waiting for him stretch into days, the foundations of Hannah’s certainty begins to crack. " publisher

Laughing at Life -- Fall Comedy Memoirs

If you take a look at the line up of books being released in the coming months, it seems like this fall, everyone is going to be laughing at life. Or at a few specific ones anyway. Comedy is cool these days, and the last few years have seen a number of high profile biographies and memoirs from comedians (including Steve Martin, Billy Crystal and Tina Fey). No surprise that publishers are looking for another to follow in the footsteps -- maybe it will be one of these.

Lady Parts by Andrea Martin (September 2). When I started reading to find our more about SCTV alum Martin's memoir, the very first thing I learned was that I was wrong in having thought she is Canadian. Although strongly linked with the Canadian comedy scene, Martin was in fact born in Portland, Maine. "Whether lighting up the small screen, stealing scenes on the big screen or starring on the stage, Andrea Martin has long entertained Canadians with her hilarious characterizations and heart-warming performances. Now, for the first time, she shares her fondest remembrances of a life in show business, motherhood, relationships, no relationships, family, chimps in tutus, squirrels, and why she flies to Atlanta to get her hair cut. LADY PARTS will make you giggle and may make you cry - a powerful collection of stories by a woman with a truly storied life."

Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy by Rainn Wilson (September 15): Fans of the NBC sitcom The Office know Wilson as the co-worker you never want to have Dwight Schrute. In his new memoir Wilson looks back on his awkward teen years, his success in comedy and "his achievement of success and satisfaction, both in his career and spiritually, after re-connecting with the artistic and creative values of the faith he grew up in." In addition to his comic performances, Wilson has become interested in philosophical questions and runs a website called SoulPancake and a related book called SoulPancake: Chew on Life's Big Questions. I guess I've learned something about Rainn Wilson already, and I haven't even gotten to the memoir!

Let's Start a Riot: How A Young Drunk Punk became A Hollywood Dad by Bruce McCulloch (October 14). I'm exactly the age to be someone who waxes fondly about the Kids in the Hall, having watched the series obsessively when I was an impressionable teen. This is, to the best of  my knowledge the first memoir to come from one of the troupe members and this one chronicles McCulloch's "journey from wild early days as a "young punk" in 1980s Alberta, to his flannel plaid days and futon nights in 1990s Toronto, to becoming a "pajama-clad dad" living in the Hollywood Hills. Taking us from scowling teenager to father of two, this biting, funny collection of personal stories, peppered with moments of surprising poignancy, proves that although this infamous Kid may be all grown up, his singular brand of humour and signature wit remain firmly intact."

Yes Please by Amy Poelher (October 28). Yes, please is basically what I said when I heard there was an Amy Poelher memoir coming out, and it's one I'm expecting we'll be seeing a lot of popular demand for. Amy Poelher is a comedy favourite these days and this book promises to be an uproarious look at the author's life and experiences. From the Back Cover: "In a perfect world . . .We'd get to hang out with Amy Poehler, watching dumb movies, listening to music, and swapping tales about our coworkers and difficult childhoods. Because in a perfect world, we'd all be friends with Amy—someone who seems so fun, is full of interesting stories, tells great jokes, and offers plenty of advice and wisdom (the useful kind, not the annoying kind you didn't ask for, anyway). Unfortunately, between her Golden Globe-winning role on Parks and Recreation, work as a producer and director, place as one of the most beloved SNL alumni and cofounder of the Upright Citizens' Brigade, involvement with the website Smart Girls at the Party, frequent turns as acting double for Meryl Streep, and her other gig as the mom of two young sons, she's not available for movie night."


I Must Say: My Life as Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short (November 4) "Martin Short takes you on a rich, hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking ride through his life and times, from his early years in Toronto as a member of the fabled improvisational troupe Second City to the all-American comic big time of Saturday Night Live and memorable roles in movies such as ¡Three Amigos! and Father of the Bride...But there is another side to Short’s life that he has long kept private. He lost his eldest brother and both of his parents by the time he turned twenty, and, more recently, he lost his wife of thirty years to cancer. In I Must Say, Short talks for the first time about the pain that these losses inflicted and the upbeat life philosophy that has kept him resilient and carried him through."


So Anyway by John Cleese (November 4). John Cleese came through Halifax just over a year ago on his "Last Chance to See Me Before I Die" tour, if you missed him then, this might be a good consolation prize. "The autobiography of John Cleese, legendary co-founder of the Monty Python comedy troupe and creator of the award-winning British sitcom FAWLTY TOWERS. John Cleese ranks among the most popular and influential comic geniuses of our time. His work has had - and continues to have - an enormous impact on the world of entertainment. To the legions of Python fans and comedy aficionados worldwide, Cleese's work with the Pythons has become the stuff of legend."

Journeying Through

Some might say that reading a book is like a journey. It's a nice metaphor for the process of reading, which is much like taking a virtual trip through someone else's experiences or imaginings. The authors of the following books really felt that their works represented a journey from one point to another -- they've all included the metaphor in the very title of their books. Looking for an adventure? Why not journey through one of these great books!

For the Love of Physics: from the end of the rainbow to the edge of time - a journey through the wonders of physics (M) by Walter Lewin and Warren Goldstein

I managed to make it through high school and university without even a basic Intro to Physics class. I've always felt like I missed out on something: though intimidating to the novice, physics also seems like a fascinating study that holds so many secrets to the world we know. Walter Lewin's path couldn't have been more different than mine and this book (as described by the library catalogue) is a"largely autobiographical account of the author's life as one who fell in love first with physics and then with teaching physics to students."

If that sounds a bit dry you should consider the following: "Universally praised for the remarkably fun, inventive, and often wacky ways in which Walter Lewin brings the joys of physics to life—from super-charging a tricycle with a fire extinguisher to risking his life by putting his head in the path of a swinging wrecking ball—For the Love of Physics takes readers on a marvelous journey, opening our eyes as never before to the amazing beauty and power of all that physics can reveal to us, from the coolest, weirdest features of the tiniest bits of matter, to the wonders of our everyday lives. "

From Pemmican to Poutine: a journey through Canada's culinary history (M) by Suman Roy and Brooke Ali

With all the focus on food in the media these days -- from celebrity chefs on cooking shows to local food movements and discussions of food security -- it's not surprising to stumble upon this book celebrating Canada's culinary history. Divided by region, it's part cookbook, part history book and contains not just pemmican and poutine, but fiddleheads, lobster rolls, maple syrup and many more Canadian delights.

The Last Great Ape: a journey through Africa and a fight for the heart of the continent (M) by Ofir Drori and David McDannald

The Last Great Ape is the name of an organization run by Ofir Drori that bills itself as the "first Wildlife Law Enforcement NGO in Africa". It supports not only the preservation of apes but of African animals and their habits in general. The book is part environmental commentary, part animal activism and part good old fashioned adventure: "The Last Great Ape is a story of the fight against extinction and the tragedy of endangered worlds, not just of animals but of people struggling to hold onto their culture. The book reveals the intense beauty and strife that exist side by side in Africa, and Ofir makes the case that activism and dedication to a cause are still relevant in a cynical modern world. This dramatic story is one of courage and hope and, most importantly, a search for meaning."

Rez Life: an Indian's journey through reservation life (M)
by David Treuer

The Idle No More movement in Canada has brought many of the issues and challenges facing First Nations People in Canada into the spotlight, Treuer's new memoir looks at similar issues south of our border. "Celebrated novelist David Treuer has gained a reputation for writing fiction that expands the horizons of Native American literature. In Rez Life, his first full-length work of nonfiction, Treuer brings a novelist's storytelling skill and an eye for detail to a complex and subtle examination of Native American reservation life, past and present.With authoritative research and reportage, Treuer illuminates misunderstood contemporary issues of sovereignty, treaty rights, and natural-resource conservation. He traces the waves of public policy that have disenfranchised and exploited Native Americans, exposing the tension that has marked the historical relationship between the United States government and the Native American population." This book would make good companion reading for those who have read or are waiting to read Thomas King's The Inconvenient Indian : a curious account of Native People in North America.

She Walks In Beauty: a woman's journey through poems (M)
by Caroline Kennedy

With April -- National Poetry Month -- approaching, it's time for me to start my annual obsession with the fact that I simply don't read enough poetry: this accessible collection may be a place to get an early jump if you feel the same way. "In She Walks in Beauty, Caroline Kennedy has once again marshaled the gifts of our greatest poets to pay a very personal tribute to the human experience, this time to the complex and fascinating subject of womanhood. Inspired by her own reflections on more than fifty years of life as a young girl, a woman, a wife, and a mother, She Walks in Beauty draws on poetry’s eloquent wisdom to ponder the many joys and challenges of being a woman. Kennedy has divided the collection into sections that signify to her the most notable milestones, passages, and universal experiences in a woman’s life, and she begins each of these sections with an introduction in which she explores and celebrates the most important elements of life’s journey."

New Mystery and Thriller Titles You May Have Missed

Lately I've been talking a lot about forthcoming releases, with monthly posts looking at hotly anticipated titles. But sometimes it's nice to take a peek at some of the recently released titles that aren't getting a lot of hype, whether because you're looking to find an under-appreciated gem, or simply because you'd like to avoid a holds queue.

I've been impressed of late with the number interesting looking mysteries and thrillers that have come across my desk on their way to the new book shelves. Many of them are a part of established series, so if you like these, you can look forward to a the rest of the series as well. Here's a few you might want to check out.

The Last King of Brighton
by Peter Guttridge.

A violent crime in modern day Brighton, leads investigators to another in the early 1960s. A police procedural with noir vibes and (according to BookList magazine) "literate bad guys". My interest was piqued by this great jacket quote from Lee Child: "I don't need the competition, but honesty demands I confess - this is a great thriller" The Last King of Brighton is volume 2 in a trilogy, following 2010's City of Dreadful Night: some reviews suggest this is one where starting at the beginning makes the most sense.

A Bad Night's Sleep
by Michael Wiley.

Another new edition to a series that you may not have already picked up on, this one featuring Chicago PI Joe Kozmarski. The lead is a disgraced ex-cop and in this latest he joins a burglary team in an effort to uncover police corruption. The Chicago setting is rich in this gritty noir series. Read The Last Striptease first, if you want to start at the beginning.

The Taint of Midas
by Anne Zouroudi.

The next book in a series which we've mentioned here on the Reader previously, Zouroudi's the Seven Deadly Sins Mystery Series. Set in the Greek Islands, several installments of the series are already available in the UK, but the 2nd one is the latest on this side of the ocean. With a lead detective described as a "Greek Poirot" the latest installment investigates greed. From the library catalogue: "For over half a century the beautiful Temple of Apollo has been in the care of the old beekeeper Gabrilis. But when the value of the land soars he is forced to sign away his interests - and hours later he meets a violent, lonely death."

I've talked about the Akashic Books Noir Series on the blog before. It's an idea I really love. Collections of noir short stories, set in cities and countries around the world that give you a bit of local flavour with your thrills. A few more of these have arrived recently, giving you a glimpse into the darker side of some well known US locales including San Diego Noir, Cape Cod Noir and Pittsburgh Noir. The library known owns more than 30 titles in the series!

Staff Picks - The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa - a vintage post

Kristina mentioned this book in an earlier post - New Books You Might Have Missed. However it is so wonderful, we need to talk about it again.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa is about a brilliant mathematics professor who suffered brain damage in a car accident. His memory does not extend beyond 1975 and his short term memory lasts only eighty minutes. Each day he is greeted with a note that reads, "My memory lasts only eighty minutes." Each day he meets his housekeeper and her son for the first time. The housekeeper is a single mother whose sole occupation has been to earn a living to support her son and herself. She discovers that somewhere along the line she has neglected fun. The Professor and the housekeeper grow closer as she cares for him and he gently teaches her and her son about the beauty of mathematics.

I attended a conference recently where I listened to a presentation about reading. The speaker said that we may all read the same novel, but take out of it what means the most to us and put aside the rest. I became very conscious of this while reading this book. I accept the beauty of mathematics, but honestly, those portions of the book washed over me. For me, the key point was the relationships that developed amongst the three main characters. I was struck by the respectful way they dealt with one another. Each individual, including the child, was deeply conscious of the others feelings and needs. Sweet, but never saccharine.

A movie The Professor's Beloved Equation was released in 2006. Unfortunately, it no longer seems to be available, but you can see the trailer on YouTube.

If you are inspired by mathematics, see again the titles Kristina suggested in an earlier post. I usually try to think of books that have a similar feel. I have to say, I'm stumped. Is anyone else who read this able to jump in?

*-this vintage post was first published in June 2009.

Coming Soon - Books into Film

December saw the release of two films that caught my interest - both of which are based on books. The first one is a bit unfair of me to mention, as it is a Japanese film that hasn't yet made it to North America other than for film fest screenings. Norwegian Wood is the adaptation of the wildly successful novel of the same name by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. The film has a UK release in early 2011, we'll have to keep our eyes peeled for a wide North American release: I loved the book, I'm excited to see the movie some day!

The other movie is True Grit, the latest Cohen Brothers film,which is based on the novel of the same name by Charles Portis. I have to admit I knew all about the film except the fact that it was based on a book. Not sure how I missed that bit of info, but it got me thinking that it was time for another books-into-film post to see what's on tap for the first couple months of the new year.


Barney's Version: based on the novel by Canadian author Mordecai Richler, there are big name actors attached to this film including Dustin Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and Minnie Driver. The films' director is Richard Lewis, who is known mostly for television work, with the exception of his award winning first feature film, 1994's Whale Music, which was also adapted from a Canadian novel. The film has already done the festival circuit and is currently playing in Toronto and Montreal. I loved the book - the hilarious misadventures of Barney Panofsky - and I'm curious to see what the film does with it.

The Way Back: starring Colin Ferrell and Ed Harris, this is another film with big name power. Adapted from the nonfiction book The Long Walk, this is the story of World War II soldiers who escape from a Siberian prison and trek across country to British India.



From Prada to Nada: billed as a Latina Sense and Sensibility, I'm pretty excited by the idea of this movie. I always love to see how classic novels can be adapted to modern settings. As Clueless did for Emma, and Cruel Intentions did for Les Liaisons Dangereuses, such re-imaginings often draw the attention of a new group of readers to the source material.


Gnomeo and Juliet: speaking of re-imaginings, I'm not sure that this new animated feature will get people reading Shakespeare again, but I really liked the pun in the title, so I felt inclined to mention it. (It's about ill fated love in the world of garden gnomes). If you're interested in Romeo and Juliet, but don't feel like reading a play, this new graphic novel adaptation might interest you.


The Eagle: based on the 1950's novel The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff, The Eagle is a tale of adventure set in 2nd Century Roman Britain. Although the novel is considered a children's or youth classic, the film seems to be geared toward adults. Fans of historical adventure take note!

I am Number Four: another film based on a novel for youth, this time in the science fiction realm. The book (also called I Am Number Four) tells the story of nine aliens who have come to earth to live among us but who have been discovered and are being hunted down one by one. Numbers one through three have already been killed ... number four is next.

More New Fiction - Titles You Might Have Missed

In yesterday's post, I made a note of a few new novels that have quietly arrived in the library (and on book store shelves) without a lot a fanfare... sort of an antidote to the year end best lists of books that have been getting lots of hype. These are the ones that you might not hear discussed around the water cooler at work, but which you might well enjoy if you do come across them. I was having so much fun with yesterday's post, that I couldn't quite stop myself: so today we've got a post looking at some more under the radar new picks.

My Other Women by Pauline Carey

This one was actually released last May, but coming from a small press, there is a good chance you haven't already encountered it. From the back cover "Andrea Demot is a gifted, determined young actress who creates a life and career for herself in the wave of theatrical innovation that erupted in Toronto in the 1960's. Believing that an artist with ambition must guard her independence, Andrea chooses to avoid marriage, but she can't ignore love..." A story of friendship, ambition, feminism and love from first time novelist with first hand experience in the Canadian theatre world.

The Wrong Blood by Manuel De Lope

Historical Fiction translated from Spanish. The novel begins in the Spanish Civil War in a small Basque community where two women, pregnant and alone, share a secret. Fifty years later, the grandson of one of these women arrives in the town only to stir up some of the mysteries and memories that have been long hidden. Library Journal said of the book "De Lope is a masterly writer, constructing a shadowy architecture to house his expansive prose, intertwining plotlines, and themes of misfortune, solitude, and memory. Highly evocative of time and place, this resonant work will linger in readers' minds. "

The Typist by Michael Knight

From the library catalogue: " Assigned to post-World War II Japan in the first year of the occupation, military typist Van finds his distinctly Western values tested by the Communist culture, his duties as a babysitter for General MacArthur's son and startling news from his young war bride." Previous works from this author include: Dogfight and other stories and The Holiday Season.

New Fiction - Titles You Might Have Missed

I don't know about you, but I've got a little bit of year end best list fatigue. Don't get me wrong, I love those sorts of lists, but at a certain point I just want to get back to normal and just read about books, whether they are the best or just ones that are going to interest me. Seems like a perfect time to revisit our recurring books you might have missed post. These are fiction titles, all relatively recent that have crossed my desk recently on their way into the collections. They aren't ones that have gotten lots of hype, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth checking out.

Sandra Beck by John Lavery

My ranting out best lists seems a bit out of place now that with my first book I want to mention that this was named to the Globe and Mail's Top 100 Books of the Year. But perhaps that's some how in keeping: with my list fatigue its inclusion didn't lead me to find it, but when it came across my desk a few weeks ago, I was very intrigued. Perhaps it's just my current obsession with both Montreal and short stories (it's set in Montreal and by an author who's previously been praised for his short story collections), but it seems to go beyond that.

I like a book that reviewers seem to have a hard time describing—that can't be neatly tied up in a few brief sentences—and this novel seems to be one of those. Even the publisher's description is vague: "This is a book about many things: the struggling antics of adolescence, the banal delusions of solitude, the city of Montreal. But it is, above all, a deeply moving tribute to a woman who is both present and absent on every page." Certainly this is a book about the titular Sandra Beck, but that's about as much as I can get from the descriptions I've read. Few of the reviews I've encountered lay out a plot, instead they talk about character and language a lot. The National Post said "You’ll read John Lavery for the wildly energetic prose and for his surprising grasp of imagery. You’ll turn the pages to delight in the language...", but I guess you'll have to investigate yourself to find out what it's about.

The Marriage Artist by Andrew Winer

The library catalogue offers this synopsis of the 2nd novel from an American author: "Searching for the meaning behind his wife's suicide with her (suspected) lover, art critic Daniel Lichtmann discovers a link to pre-World War II Vienna, forgotten artist Josef Pick, and a remarkable woman."

Managing to combine the seemingly divergent styles of quick pacing and lyrical writing, and using parallel narratives, Winer tells a story of love, loss and history that Kirkus magazine called "A tour de force of provocative ideas—about art, love, Jewish identity, survivor's guilt, the fluidity of time and so much else—expressed through emotionally riveting characters"

Echoes From the Other Land {stories}
by Ava Homa

From a publisher that specializes in "new Canadian and world writing" this book seems to combine both of their focuses. A collection from a Iranian author living in Canada these are "haunting stories [that] beautifully evoke the oppressive lives of modern women in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

New Fiction You Might Have Missed

Back again with our semi-frequent book summaries feature where we tell you about some recent books that have arrived at the library that maybe haven't gotten the hype of some other recent releases. These ones have come across my desk recently and caught my eye for one reason or another.

An Inconvenient Elephant
by Judy Reene Singer.

The follow up to Singer's popular Still Life With Elephant, a humourous story of a woman who follows her cheating husband (who happens to be a vet) to Africa to work with elephants in an effort to save her failing marriage. Either book makes a heartwarming read for animal lovers and those who have ever been unlucky in love.

Stash by David Klein.

This first novel from an American author takes a suburban family who seem to have the ideal life and shows how quickly it can all unravel. The starting point is a woman who is involved in a car accident that leaves a man dead. Although the crash was truly not her fault, a bag of marijuana in her car complicates matters with the police. An intriguing examination of middle class America's strange and often contradictory relationship with drugs.

Let the Dead Lie by Malla Nunn.

We mentioned in post a few months ago that South Africa is rumoured to be the next big thing in international set mystery novels. Nunn returns with the second installment of the Emmanuel Cooper Mysteries (after A Beautiful Place to Die) featuring an English detective now resident in South Africa. For fans of fast paced mysteries with intricate plots.

Petty Magic: being the memoirs and confessions of Miss Evelyn Harbinger, temptress and troublemaker
by Camille DeAngelis.

Romance, witchcraft, murder, espionage: this book seems to have a bit of everything. Evelyn Harbinger is a 149 year old witch who has recently met a man who reminds her more-than-a-little of Jonah, her paramour and partner behind the lines during World War II. Flipping between the stories of her new romantic interest, her historical intrigues and an accusation of murder against a fellow witch, there is a lot going on here, but there's a lot to love here in a witty, upbeat tale.

New Fiction You Might Have Missed

It's time for our semi-frequent book summaries feature where we tell you about some recent books that have arrived at the library that maybe haven't gotten the hype of some other recent releases.

The End Game by Gerrie Ferris Finger: winner of the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel competition, or so the cover tells us. The award might have a cumbersome name, but it does indicate that this crime novel set in Atlanta and following an ex-cops investigation into missing children, is sure to be a page turner, but not one with gratuitous violence and sex. (That's the traditional part).


American Subversive by David Goodwillie: Set in contemporary New York City and exploring ideas of American culture in the face of domestic terrorism. A bomb goes off in a NY building, a blogger investigates in a book that Kirkus has called "[A] smart, edgy, suspenseful first novel". The author's previous book Seemed like a good idea at the time is a memoir, which also prominently features life in NYC.


Color Me Butterfly: a novel inspired by one family's journey from tragedy to triumph by L.Y. Marlow: from the back cover "Inspired by a true story, 'Color Me Butterfly' follows four generations of mothers and daughters--haunted by a common specter of domestic abuse--as they discover the strength, hope, and courage to survive." Includes questions for discussion for bookclubs which will surely find much in this tale to ponder.


Brown Dwarf by K.D. Miller: this slim, unassuming looking title is part mystery, part psychological drama. Set in 1960s Hamilton, it explores the relationship between two women, one a well know mystery author, as they pursue a serial killer thought to be hiding in their area.

New Books You Might Have Missed - Fiction

The deliveries of newly arrived fiction have been looking pretty good lately. It seemed like it was time to devote a post to a few of those titles. These aren't the giant blockbusters with long waiting lists, but great looking fiction that I found on the shelf today.

Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland

It seems to me that mystery fans are always on the lookout for a new series. Hyland brings us volume 2 in his Emily Tempest Investigation series. Volume 1, entitled Moonlight Downs, won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Novel, an Australian prize that celebrates new writers in that country. Emily Tempest is a young woman who has recently returned to the outback after years living in cities and abroad. The stories offer a rich setting, and explore the relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.

Walks With Men by Ann Beattie

A slim summer offering from a multi-award winning American author who is known for her strength in short form writing. Set in NYC in the early 1980s, it follows a young woman who has recently arrived after graduating from Harvard and of her romance with an older man. Booklist said: "This is a stark tale even for Beattie, the master of terseness and angst. But it is also an oddly beautiful distillation of a specific moment both in one fledgling writer’s life and in New York’s celebrity-driven culture, when creative forces gather like a held breath or the sea before a tsunami." Probably not the lightest summer read, but one that certainly sounds intriguing.

The Line by Olga Grushin

The second offering from Russian-American author Grushin, who previously penned The Dream Life of Sukhanov. The jacket description seems to give only a glimpse into the story: "The line begins to form on the whispered rumor that a famous exiled composer is returning to Russia to conduct his last symphony. Tickets will be limited. The concert date is unknown. Nameless faces join the line, jostling for preferred position—a crowd of strangers, each intent on gaining advantage. But as time passes and the seasons change and still the ticket kiosk remains shuttered, these anonymous souls take on individual shape...." Reviews are wildly mixed, Publisher's Weekly called it a "disappointing follow-up" but Library Journal gave it a starred review saying it was "recommended ecstatically". That can't help but make me a little bit curious.

Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva by Victoria Rowell

Rowell spent 17 years in the role of Drucilla Winters on daytime soap The Young and the Restless. This summer novel focuses on actress Calysta Jeffries who plays a role in the TV series "The Rich and the Ruthless." The publishing information for this book describes it as "Ripped from the headlines of Soap Opera Digest and straight off of the television screen, Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva will give readers plenty to talk about as they try to guess where the real world ends and Rowell's imagination begins." Sounds like a perfect beach read.

Holy Water by James P. Othmer

When a book is outlandish and satirical, I sometimes find it difficult to try and sum it up, so I'll let the book jacket from this 2nd novel from an author who also gave us Adland: searching for the meaning of life on a branded planet, sum it up: "Henry Tuhoe is the quintessential twenty-first-century man. He has a vague, well-compensated job working for a multinational conglomerate—but everyone around him is getting laid off as the company outsources everything it can to third-world countries. He has a beautiful wife—his college sweetheart—and an idyllic new home in the leafy suburbs, complete with pool. But his wife won’t let him touch her, even though she demanded he get a vasectomy; he’s seriously overleveraged on the mortgage; and no matter what chemicals he tries the pool remains a corpselike shade of ghastly green. Then Henry’s boss offers him a choice: go to the tiny, magical, about-to-be-globalized Kingdom of Galado to oversee the launch of a new customer-service call center for a boutique bottled water company the conglomerate has just acquired, or lose the job with no severance. Henry takes the transfer, more out of fecklessness than a sense of adventure. In Galado, a land both spiritual and corrupt, Henry wrestles with first-world moral conundrums, the life he left behind, the attention of a steroid-abusing, megalomaniacal monarch, and a woman intent on redeeming both his soul and her country. The result is a riveting piece of fiction of and for our times, blackly satirical, moving, and profound."

Cracking Codes & Cracking Jokes: Joyce in the Morning

A few summers ago I tried to tackle James Joyce's Ulysses as a summer reading project. I made a valiant effort and enjoyed the first 100 or pages before I hit a point where I started to lose understanding and with it interest. I know I'm not alone, of the small group of us who had joined a group committed to reading the book over the summer, I think only one of us finished what we'd started.

Ulysses is a book most of us know about but few of us have read. It's been voted the best novel of the 20th century but it's well know for being incredibly difficult to understand. When you think about ways of describing Ulysses, a number of things probably come to mind : it's a classic, definitely, it's a challenge, many would agree. But funny? That's not an adjective that leaps to mind for me.

Not so for W. Terrence Gordon, author of Everyman’s Joyce—he finds lots to laugh at in Ulysses and he wants to help you find it too. He's speaking at the Spring Garden Road Library on June 15th at 7pm for a program called Cracking Codes & Cracking Jokes: Joyce in the morning. As detailed in his program description Gordon "will focus on reading strategies for making Joyce more accessible. Learn how to get all of Joyce, especially the jokes you might have missed. Here is your chance to put the joy back in Joyce on the eve of Bloomsday."

If you're interested in Joyce and Ulysses it's a program you won't want to miss. And in the meantime, here's a few titles you might want to check out:

How To Read Joyce by Derek Attridge

James Joyce by Edna O'Brien (a biography from the Penguin Lives series)

James Joyce : the years of growth, 1882-1915 by Peter Costello

The New Bloomsday Book: a guide through Ulysses by Harry Blamires

Ulysses and Us: the art of everyday life in Joyce's masterpiece by Declan Kiberd

Yes I said yes I will yes: a celebration of James Joyce, Ulysses, and 100 years of Bloomsday
by Nola Tully (Editor)