Updated and Revised Edition by Martha Wells Having come to the work of Martha Wells through her Murderbot series, I was intrigued when this “updated and revised” edition of one of her early novels, City of Bones, popped up. But if you’re looking for the fast pace and wise-cracking snarky tone of that series, thisContinue reading “City of Bones”
Author Archives: Liz Helfrich
Family Lore
by Elizabeth Acevedo Overall: Adult fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, she’s written one for you! In Family Lore, the acclaimed YA author of The Poet X and With the Fire on High focuses on the women of the Marte family. From their childhood on a farm in the Dominican Republic to their current lives as busyContinue reading “Family Lore”
August Wilson: A Life
by Patti Hartigan Overall: August Wilson, one of the most important playwrights of the 20th century, died in 2005, but August Wilson: A Life is the first major biography to examine his life and work. Through interviews conducted with Wilson, some of his inner circle, and extensive research, this book builds a portrait of aContinue reading “August Wilson: A Life”
The Paris Mystery
by Kirsty Manning I love a mystery set in the 1930s, and what fun to visit Paris instead of London or New York! Charlie James, looking to escape a failed marriage in her hometown of Sydney, has pulled up stakes and moved to France. The chief of The Times’ Paris bureau, having hired her believingContinue reading “The Paris Mystery”
The Lady from Burma
by Allison Montclair Overall: The fifth book in the Sparks and Bainbridge mystery series, The Lady from Burma finds our heroines – the resourceful Iris Sparks and the sympathetic Gwendolyn Bainbridge – pulled into another pair of mysteries. When a new client comes to The Right Sort Marriage Bureau to consult with the ladies aboutContinue reading “The Lady from Burma”
Silver Nitrate
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Overall: Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books are a treat for horror fans who don’t want anything too gory or graphic, and Silver Nitrate is right on the mark. Set in Mexico City in the 1990s, the book centers on Montserrat, a struggling sound editor for films, and her childhood best friend Tristán, a formerContinue reading “Silver Nitrate”
The Anatomy Duology
Anatomy: A Love Story and Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz Overall: I hadn’t ever read a duology, so I was excited to dive into this pair of books. In Anatomy we meet Hazel Sinnett, a young woman of good background who wants to become a surgeon. Unfortunately, in early 19th century Edinburgh, sheContinue reading “The Anatomy Duology”
Evidence of Things Seen: True Crime in an Era of Reckoning
Edited by Sarah Weinman Overall: This collection of previously published essays and articles provides an overview of what’s on the minds of writers who engage with crime and the criminal justice system in America. As someone who reads the occasional non-fiction book about crime (The Art Thief, We Keep the Dead Close, The Trial ofContinue reading “Evidence of Things Seen: True Crime in an Era of Reckoning”
The Art Thief
by Michael Finkel Overall: I love a good true crime tale, and The Art Thief falls into an interesting niche: the notorious but non-violent crime. Stéphane Breitwieser managed to steal hundreds of paintings, sculptures, and historic and decorative objects across Europe – many of them priceless – over eight years. He never sold any ofContinue reading “The Art Thief”
Are You My Mother?
by Alison Bechdel Overall: Bechdel’s second graphic memoir takes on her relationship with her mother the way Fun Home unpacked her relationship with her father. Using her childhood and adult diaries, family photos, and transcriptions of phone calls with her mother made over years, Bechdel recreates some of the foundational incidents of her life inContinue reading “Are You My Mother?”
Liz Helfrich 