From the vantage point of present day England, Stephanie Barron, a bestselling historical mystery author, writes a compelling story about what lies beneath the surface of the six decades old death of Virginia Woolf.
Linda R
Browsing Posts in Literary
This is a simple and quiet story of a summer love between former convent-raised foundling, now farmer’s wife Ellie Dillahan and bicycle-riding, quasi-photographer Florian Kilderry. Their affair develops quite innocently but affects several characters quite profoundly in the small town of Rathmoye, Ireland. Trevor’s writing is subtle and restrained, yet he manages to capture the essence of each characters’ deepest emotions.
Laura
Gabriel Lightfoot seems to be on the road to success. He escaped the mill town drudgery of his father to become a top chef at a posh London hotel, his beautiful girlfriend is just waiting for the marriage proposal, and he’s finally got backers for his long-awaited eponymous restaurant. If only the Russian porter Yuri hadn’t died in the restaurant’s cellar. Already tightly wound, Gabe begins to unravel after he agrees to take in another young new porter, Lena, as she hides from authorities.
Laura
Twin boys, orphaned by an Indian mother, grow up in an Ethiopian hospital compound. This book is magical and sprawling, filled with characters you’ll never forget. An ode to Ethiopia, the art of healing and families, Verghese’s first novel carries all the passion and artistry of his two non-fiction works, My Own Country and The Tennis Partner.
Laurie
In 1937 Shanghai, Pearl and her beloved sister May are “beautiful girls” (we’d call them models today) who are living a charmed life. But when their father loses his money and sells them into marriage to Chinese-Americans, they have much to overcome in their new life in America.
Dedra
After young Tess watches as a stranger tosses a baby down their family well life is never the same. Like an object hitting the water, this incomprehensible action has a ripple effect on all the members of the Moore family, causing them to look at their community, and themselves, in a whole new light.
Laura
The Independent Booksellers pick for June 2009 is The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. They say “A spellbinding, beautifully written novel that moves between contemporary times and one of the most fascinating and disturbing periods in American history — the Salem witch trials.”
Indie Pick for June, 2009
Edgar winner John Hart returns with a character driven, haunting story of a thirteen year old boy in rural North Carolina searching for his kidnapped sister and the local cop who is trying to keep an eye on him.
Dedra
Since suffering a head injury in 1975 the Professor’s present-day memory only lasts for eighty minutes. Each day when his housekeeper arrives he greets her anew. Before his accident the Professor was a brilliant mathematician and now he uses math to cope with the stresses of his peculiar situation. Ogawa has created an interesting concept and characters with great sensitivity. Good for book groups.
Laura
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Alan Bradley’s debut novel featuring a precocious eleven year old in 1950s London solving a murder, was chosen by independent booksellers as their top pick for May.
Dedra
