At Last

Safety. The action in Edward St. Aubyn’s finely written novel, At Last, takes place on the day of the protagonist’s mother’s funeral. Patrick Melrose feels relief and a sense of safety now that both his parents are deceased. His father abused him and his mother knew. St. Aubyn’s prose is constructed with great care and precision, full of wit and psychological insight. This novel is part of a series he’s written about the wealthy Melrose family and his insight into the life of the privileged will be appealing to many readers. Fans of finely written literary fiction are those most likely to enjoy this novel.

Rating: Four-star (Highly Recommended)
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The Dogs of Rome

Relaxed. Conor Fitzgerald’s debut crime novel, The Dogs of Rome, proceeds at a relaxed pace in introducing readers to protagonist Commissario Alec Blume. I became engaged in the life, work and world of Blume and I enjoyed the easy going plot momentum. Readers learn just enough about the characters to be interested, and the choices that Blume makes in dealing with bosses, subordinates, witnesses, criminals and lovers kept me engaged throughout the novel. Readers who like crime fiction and are looking for new authors are those most likely to enjoy this novel.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)
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What It Was

Setting. George Pelecanos paints such a vivid picture of the setting for his novel, What It Was, that readers will see and feel the early 1970s on these pages. Pelecanos likes the cars, the music and the clothes, so they are described in detail to set the background and mood for a quickly paced crime novel featuring private detective Derek Strange at the time just after he left the Metropolitan Police Department. Fans of crime fiction and Pelecanos are those most likely to enjoy this book.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)
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Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting

Autonomy. I was entertained and amused by Pam Druckerman’s book, Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting. Druckerman presents her personal story of raising children in France. Working like an anthropologist as a participant-observer of the culture, she is able to call attention to the differences she saw in how French parents behaved with their children as compared to many American parents. Among the many differences she presents are the approaches to patience and waiting rather than leaping in, and the ways in which autonomy is encouraged. No one parent’s experience or observation is ever definitive for another parent’s behavior, so those readers expecting a how-to manual will be disappointed. Readers who enjoy lively writing about family life across cultures will find this book interesting.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)
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Fixing the Housing Market

Data. A recent book from Wharton’s Milken Institute Series on Financial Innovations is titled, Fixing the Housing Market. I expected the book would provide a brief review of what caused the crash, and then spend the bulk of the presentation on alternative solutions. Instead, the authors provide a lengthy historical framework and lots of global data. Their analysis of the data seemed shallow, and almost all of the book covers history and data. By the time the solutions were presented, they seemed vague and too generalized to be useful. Readers looking to understand housing over the past hundred years will find useful information here. Those looking for cogent recommendations for solving our problems should look elsewhere.

Rating: Two-star (Mildly Recommended)
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The Wolf Gift

Mutation. Prolific author Anne Rice has returned to her fan base with the first 400 page novel in what readers will hope is a new series. The Wolf Gift features protagonist Reuben Golding, who has become a werewolf. Similar to the characters in her vampire novels, these werewolves are heroic monsters who battle evildoers. While long philosophical passages may bore some readers, the action moves quickly, there’s a love story, and the contemporary setting brings the story to life. This is a satisfying story to those readers who have come to enjoy Rice.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)
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Machine Man

Evolution. Max Barry combines dystopia, satire and comedy in his latest novel, Machine Man. Protagonist Charles Neumann works as a scientist in the lab of an unscrupulous company named Better Future. After Charlie loses his leg, he considers making himself an improved model. Barry satirizes our culture of constant self-improvement, and describes corporate exploitation and avarice in an extreme way. Charlie’s exploits become hilarious at times, and the pace of the novel is quick. Fans of Barry’s prior novels will be pleased with this one, and new readers may find his quirky writing to be an acquired taste. Read an excerpt before diving in.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)
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