February 2019

The Lost Man by Jane Harper
Having written two international bestsellers, (The Dry and Force of Nature), we can depend on Jane Harper to give us entertainment. Yet, in her latest new book, a stand alone with new richly developed characters, Harper reminds us again that not only can she plot a book with intelligence and develop complex characters, but she can write, and I mean really write. Harper sets the scene in The Lost Man in the extreme loneliness of the Outback. One can feel the heat, see the long lonely fence lines, sense the isolation from her beautiful prose. The tale of three brothers begins with the death of one of them, as Cameron is found dead at the mysterious old stockman's grave, a spot rife with legend and secrets. As the story spins out, we learn of Nathan, the oldest, and how a decision as a young man marked him for life. We meet Bub, the baby of the family, the one most impacted by their father's death. We see Xander, Nathan's son, as he struggles with his parent's vicious divorce. Yet in this world of men, we also find strong women: Liz, a mother bound by secrets she cannot divulge; Ilse, a wife whose love is divided; and two little girls who hold the answers to it all. As much I loved Harper's first two books, The Lost Man is now in first place. It is breathtaking in its beauty, its richness, and its ability to keep me turning pages, constantly in awe of this author's deep talent.


The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer
It is hard to believe that this is a debut author; the raw writing talent is stunning. On the surface it is historical fiction, based on the life of photographer Lee Miller and her relationship with artist Man Ray. Yet it is much much more, painting a portrait of Lee herself. Raw, dark, sensual, tortured, brilliant, perceptive, lost, self-absorbed, weak, strong, creative - these words all describe this complex woman. Lee lives her youth in a magical time and place; Paris in the twenties and thirties was a bastion of creativity, of exploration of art, a time of experimentation, rebellion, and savage selfishness. Scharer also sparingly uses Miller's years as a war photographer to juxtapose the trauma of the Holocaust for all the witnesses. At times I wanted to shake Lee until her teeth rattled, hug her close to chase away the demons, take a shower to wash away the decadence of her life, or stand in awe at the art she created. Scharer is a prodigious new talent, a bit reminiscent of Donna Tartt (occasionally too wordy but always the master storyteller). I wonder what others will think of this book as it leaves one with many questions and so much on which to turn over and over in one's head? There is no perfectly wrapped bow to end Lee Miller's story, making this debut novel one helluva book to ponder and argue and endlessly discuss. It. Is. Brilliant.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Finally, a worthy thriller that is well-plotted, with intriguing characters, thoughtful twists, and an ending that is not tied perfectly with a bow. Dr. Theo Graber is the narrator, a psychotherapist newly arrived to the Grove, a small institution for the criminally insane. Drawn to the hospital by the newspaper stories of famous artist Alicia Berenson who murdered her husband, Theo believes he is the one who can finally get Alicia to talk after a silence of six years. Interspersed between the story line of his work with Alicia and the other members of the staff is Theo's story of his own personal history, his cheating wife, and disintegrating marriage. If you are looking for a well-written page turner, this is it - impressive debut.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
I think I am the last person in America to pick this book up. Confession: I hate hate hate being a lemming and following all the buzz over the cliff. However, in this case I really should have leapt sooner as this is a stunning debut worthy of all the attention. Set in North Carolina, the story begins in the marsh with a dead body of a young man. Moving back in time, the tale turns to Kya, a little girl who is abandoned by everyone she depends upon and left to raise herself deep in the marsh land. Switching between time periods, we see the investigation in the murder progress as we watch Kya grow. Woven in amongst the engaging characters is the marsh itself, described in lyrical prose, an ever-present force in Kya's life. Follow the lemmings...this book is worth it.

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
If you like YA fantasy, strong complex characters, creative setting, romance, and taut tense cliffhangers, this is the series for you. (And if you've never done YA or fantasy - give it a shot. It is the best escapism from the crap in this world!) Sooo many books (seven in total and each keep getting longer) that I begged off reading this series as it just seemed overwhelming. However, my 29 year old daughter pushed and pushed, and yes she was correct. Aelin is a wildly contradictory main character, at times hateful, heroic, aggravating, self-absorbed, caring, generous, murderous - in other words, she in intriguing. And no one does fantasy and the Fae world like Maas - she is the master. This series will keep you reading for weeks on end, engrossed in an entirely different world that enters your dreams and keeps you turning pages.