Honeydew

Olympic. Twenty outstanding short stories are assembled in a collection titled, Honeydew, by Edith Pearlman. Were I commenting on an Olympic gymnastic performance, I would call attention to the ways in which Pearlman nails every landing. She has great endings to each of these stories, often in the form of a cunning twist. If that were the only skill presented, that would be enough to bring a reader pleasure. Her main achievement, in my view, is the skill with which she presents aspects of human nature with such precision that I was moved by her compassion and insight into the ordinary and its profound beauty and essential liveliness. There’s an authenticity in these stories that will reward most readers with insight and understanding about people like us. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Honeydew from amazon.com.

The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal

Spycraft. I can find reading pleasure from spy stories, both true and fiction. One of the finest I’ve read in recent years is The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman. Journalist Hoffman presents the story of Adolf Tolkachev, a Soviet radar specialist, who provided reams of technical military secrets to the CIA. Thanks to Hoffman’s fine writing, we come to understand Tolkachev, his family, his motivations, and the ways in which spycraft was conducted during the height of the cold war. The value of the information received for the compensation paid to Tolkachev will alarm most readers. Any reader interested in the cold war will likely enjoy reading this finely written account. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Billion Dollar Spy from amazon.com.

The Kill

Secrets. The fifth novel in the series by Jane Casey featuring detective Maeve Kerrigan is titled, The Kill. This novel has all the elements fans love in crime fiction: murder, suspense, well-developed characters, and a mystery to solve Casey proceeds at a pace that may frustrate those who prefer fast-paced thrillers, but will delight those readers who like the gradual presentation of a case to allow a reader time to puzzle out the likely perpetrator. Here’s an example of the prose that delighted me, but might frustrate other readers: “Tea, the answer for every problem. Burglary? Tea. Missing child? Tea. Dead husband? Tea. No one ever seemed to drink it. For us, the cups were a prop, something to do with your hands while gently delivering the bad news and easing yourself back out to the street.” (p.47) There are secrets at the core of this novel, and the relationships are fascinating to observe, given their complexity. Readers who like crime fiction should consider reading this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Kill from amazon.com.

The Taming of the Queen

Survivor. The narrator and protagonist of Philippa Gregory’s novel, The Taming of the Queen, is Kateryn Parr, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII. Gregory presents Parr as a smart and independent woman of significant accomplishments, who survived the plots by the court to remove her as Queen, and who outlived Henry. The taming referenced in the title involves a personal degradation that reveals aspects of Henry that will disgust many readers. Readers who like historical fiction, especially those with strong female protagonists, are those most likely to enjoy reading this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Taming of the Queen from amazon.com.

Refund

Money. Readers who enjoy finely written short stories will find a baker’s dozen in a collection by Karen Bender titled, Refund. The structure of the short story requires efficiency by the writer. Bender excels at quick observation, brief description, and deep insight accomplished within a few sentences. These stories fit well together because of a common theme relating to money. Beneath this is the question of value and what something or someone is worth. Bender explores this theme with great skill, and most readers will find something to like in this collection. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Refund from amazon.com.

Crooked

Magic. I’ve found non-fiction accounts of Richard Nixon to leave me with confusion and questions about his behavior and motivation in his public and private life. I felt much clearer with the alternative fictional Nixon presented by Austin Grossman in his novel titled, Crooked. In this book, Nixon is a hero, and as narrator, he removes his mask to reveal what forces led him to do what he did throughout his life. To whatever extent you’re willing to suspend disbelief and are open to the notion of Nixon as America’s savior, you are likely to love or hate this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Crooked from amazon.com.

Secondhand Souls

Bridge. Readers looking to escape with a zany novel should consider reading Christopher Moore’s Secondhand Souls. Reprised characters from A Dirty Job and Coyote Blue enhance the reading pleasure for fans, but a first-time reader may be well-entertained by this novel. Souls of the dead are disappearing in San Francisco, and even stranger things are happening. There’s a banshee having fun trying to marshal forces to act, and the Golden Gate Bridge may never look the same to this reader after ingesting Moore’s spooky images. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Secondhand Souls from amazon.com.