Snap

Jack. Belinda Bauer’s crime novel titled, Snap, grabbed me in the first few pages and kept me engaged to the end. The entire cast of characters is well-developed, but protagonist Jack is the best of all. After the murder of his mother, Jack’s father fails to cope with caring for three children, so young Jack takes charge and finances their needs through burglary. After scores of break-ins, local police call this the Goldilocks case because Jack often sleeps in the owner’s beds and eats their food. After DCI John Marvel is assigned to the area following a demotion, he’s not interested in a burglary case, but becomes energized when there’s a murder to solve. Bauer plots this novel with great skill and excels at developing great characters. Fans of crime fiction are those readers most likely to enjoy this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Snap from amazon.com.

Murder on the Left Bank

Hand. The eighteenth installment in the Aimée Leduc series by Cara Black is titled, Murder on the Left Bank. Set in 1999, Aimée and her partner, Rene, are helping clients prepare for Y2K when an attorney hires Aimée to find a missing notebook. Very quickly, Aimée finds herself and her daughter in peril from the actions of a group called The Hand, crooked police who ordered the death of Aimée’s father. The plot moves quickly and maintains a reader’s interest throughout the novel. Fans of the series are those readers most likely to appreciate the return of familiar characters and Black’s ability to maintain interesting stories about fascinating people. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Murder on the Left Bank from amazon.com.

Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead--My Life Story

Activist. Cecile Richards’ memoir is titled, Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead--My Life Story. The former head of Planned Parenthood describes her life of activism with clarity through telling great stories. As the daughter of the late Texas governor, Ann Richards, Cecile Richards learned straight talking and outreach to the needy from early childhood. Her father was a civil rights attorney and their home was always abuzz with people supporting one cause or another. She worked as a labor organizer prior to leading Planned Parenthood. Women looking for positive role models in leadership positions are those readers most likely to appreciate the practical advice and guidance in this book. Thanks to leaders like Cecile Richards, more people have a voice in public affairs. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Make Trouble from amazon.com.

No Immediate Danger

Nuclear. William Vollmann has a lot to say about energy production and climate change and our future. His publisher and editor agreed to a structure of two six hundred-page books. In the first book titled, No Immediate Danger, Vollman focus on nuclear power generation. Vollmann tells readers of the time he has spent in Japan over the past seven years placing himself at personal risk while measuring radiation around the Fukushima site. His title comes from the Japanese official advisory about the risk. With lots of facts and measurements, Vollmann disagrees about the dangers and uses Fukushima as an example of the consequences of energy policies that rely on nuclear power. In exchange for short term comfort and economic benefits, we’ve added significant long-term risk and costs. The next volume will focus on oil production, fracking and coal production. In some ways I can’t wait, but I need a break before tackling the second installment. Rating: Three-star (It’s ok) Click here to purchase No Immediate Danger from amazon.com.

Mr. Flood's Last Resort

Hoarder. Jess Kidd introduces readers to terrific characters in her novel titled, Mr. Flood’s Last Resort. Protagonist Maud Drennan works as a caregiver and in her reality saints of the past are participants in her daily life. Her latest case brings her to the gothic home of a hoarder, Cathal Flood. Maud is the latest in a series of caregivers, all of whom Mr. Flood has shunned. Kidd draws these characters with skill and insight and lets us wince and smile as their lives play out. The saints are close by the sinners, and patient readers can watch grace enter the lives of these eccentric characters. In many fine works of fiction things are not as they appear, and I found myself giving Kidd full suspension of my disbelief as she works her literary magic. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Mr Flood’s Last Resort from amazon.com.

The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels

Context. For American citizens weary of partisan divisiveness, one book to consider is Jon Meacham’s titled, The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels. We’ve been divided in the past in ways more severe than our current situation and have leaned toward our core values to come together. Historians help provide context for us to understand where we have come from, and how to consider current challenges in relation to how we have responded to past divisions. Meacham writes with love for the United States and with hope that our future will be less contentious than the present. Take a break from the headlines to reflect on our core values and consider how those values can lead us toward reconciliation and unity. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase The Soul of America from amazon.com.

What We Were Promised

Secrets. In her debut novel titled, What We Were Promised, Lucy Tan explores themes of family, secrets, and obligations. Set in Shanghai, the Zhen family’s new status upon return to China after two decades of success in the United States leads to new ways of living and significant adjustments for the extended family. Tan uses multiple narrators to offer different perspectives about life in Shanghai. A special bracelet links the past to the present. Tan writes with skill and leads readers toward caring deeply for the lives of the complex characters she presents. At the same time, she provides clear descriptive language that makes the setting come alive for readers. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase What We Were Promised from amazon.com.