Books Read January, 2025

Night Train to Paris by Fliss Chester
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book has a lot to say for it. When there is action it is wonderful. I just felt there was a lot of walking around and talking that did not enhance the really excellent murder mystery. I worked it out well before the end but the details were clever. Will I give Fen a third chance? Possible but not for a while.

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A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not sure about this one. I really fell for the main character, a feisty WW1 nurse. The opening of the book is a gripping tale and then the story seems to meander a bit before it gets going as a full blown murder mystery.
A few times I thought there was a bit too much dialogue but as the story progressed, I realized how completely complex and devious the story and plot were. Bravo Mr. Todd for keeping it all together and keeping me interested until the screeching end. The final action was explosive and I could not put it down. This is our first experience with Bess Crawford, I might try another.


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After Oz by Gordon McAlpine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not want to like this book.... I was sure it was just another "Wicked" spin off and I wanted a little more. This book is for my book club and I look forward to the book discussion.
For me this turned out to be a first-class murder mystery. The author has the benefit of having the reader know a lot of the backstory. The story of Dorothy and her little dog, Toto, is baked into American psyche. The author was able to use this to bind a pretty good story together.
Had enough “Wicked” hype? This book might be fun. In the end I liked it a lot.


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Books Read in 2024

The Translator by Harriet Crawley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great book. So current and the opposite of fanciful, positively scary. The book is essentially about two non- spys who find themselves in a world of secrets and secret tellers. The action is first rate and the characters are very believable. Good stories like this come from the news around us today. This is no exception. News of the Russians cutting cables near Finland surfaced the week I read this.

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A Dangerous Goodbye by Fliss Chester
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a good story. The characters were interesting and easy to follow. The plot did seem a bit obtuse but Fliss Chester brought it all together in a wonderful ending. All the red herrings were resolved and I was not asking any questions at the end. This is listed as #1 in the Fen Churche series and I think I will read number two to see where this fascinating lady is going.
The plot is a puzzle and she helps the reader solve it. Fun!

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Blood Alone by James R. Benn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. I knew nothing about the battles in WWII on the Island of Sicely. I did not know of the Mafia connection, both American and Sicilian.
The story was rambling and I got a bit confused a few times over the characters and the locations.
But James Benn managed to tie it all up and provide a wonderful ending...
Paving the way for more Billy Boyle in my future reading.

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The First Wave by James R. Benn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I like Billy Boyle he is a character that is developing nicely and I believe that I will enjoy a bunch of his stories. Currently there are 19 BB stories and I am reading #3 already.
This story is about Billy's adventure when allied forces landed in Algeria prior to D day. This story is based on actual events but the plot is pure fiction. Billy is Ike's nephew and that alone makes the story a fanciful look at what happened.
Of course Ike probably did have people working for him but I doubt it would have been a young and inexperienced kid from Boston.
Makes a great story.

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Books Read in November

Billy Boyle by James R. Benn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At first I thought the whole premis of the story was far fetched and ridiculous. As I read on it became a totally engrossing mystery with wonderful characters. Billy is an interesting character who, although simple at first, becomes more and more complex as the story unfolds.
The story itself is the same, starts simple, ends complex.
Based on some real people and places and held my interest from chapter 2 right through the stuff at the end. I am starting number 2 of Billy's adventures in a few minutes.

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The Wedding People by Alison Espach
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is rare that I don't like a book. This book took too much of a suspension of reality. This from a reader science fiction.
The characters were as shallow as they seem to be as people. They were placed in odd situations and then continued as if it was normal behavior. I don't think there was one character I liked and I never was able to find a real plot. Just an unhappy woman finding herself in a weird situation with a bunch of weird people. Skip this one.

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