Abandon hope all ye who enter here.

In Philippe Claudel’s By a Slow River, a small-town policeman recounts the murder investigation of an angelic young girl during WW1. The investigation coincides with the suicide of the beautiful but enigmatic new schoolteacher, and the death of the narrator’s beloved wife during childbirth. His description of how the town’s local residents respond to the [...]

Little Women and (their father) March – Two novels

The Pulitzer Prize winning novel March by Geraldine Brooks, paired with a re-reading of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, is a rewarding dual selection for book discussion groups. March is Mr. March, the father of sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, who leaves home to volunteer as a Union chaplain the Civil War. His [...]

Submerse yourself in Victorian London

How can I describe The Meaning of Night: A Confession?
A force of nature, perhaps? It pulled me along like the tide…just one chapter, I’d think – an hour later I’d come up for air and shake the fog shrouded London scene from my head. Author Michael Cox has written a rich story of obsession and [...]

If you enjoy historical mysteries…

I recommend Some Danger Involved, the first in a series by author (and librarian!) Will Thomas. Set in Victorian London, young Thomas Llewelyn is down on his luck and in desperate need of a job. After a strange interview process, he becomes the assistant to the enigmatic “enquiry agent,” Cyrus Barker. These enjoyable mysteries are [...]