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laurieb755's Reviews (783)
This is a Susan Ryeland - Atticus Pünd mystery and, while I've viewed the previous two mysteries in this series on PBS, this one has yet to be broadcast. Hence, it was a new approach to read it first before watching it on-screen. As for author Anthony Horowitz, he seems to quite enjoy contriving stories that are murder mysteries filled with plot conceits. For instance, in the Hawthorne & Horowitz mystery series he inserts himself (he being Horowitz) as a character in the story, solving crimes with the fictional Hawthorne.
In Marble Hall Murders Horowitz continues the tradition of inserting a mystery within a mystery, much like Russian stacking dolls complete with the twist. Atticus Pünd is the fictional detective created years ago (in the timeline of the fiction) by author Alan Conway, and Susan Ryeland is the editor of Alan's books. By the time of Marble Hall Murders Alan Conway is no longer around, having been pushed off a tower to his death by the head of the publishing house that published his books. That event marked the end of the Atticüs Pund novels, until Eliot Crace turned up with a book he is writing, what's known as a continuation novel, and he wants to call it Pünd's Last Case.
Eliot opens a can of worms for Susan as she does not have positive memories of when she first met him, and she is not a fan of continuation mysteries. To her surprise, it turns out Eliot has grown into a better writer than he had been and his book intrigues her. Eliot has written in the style of Alan Conway, complete with inserting anagrams and clues within the story that will bring to light the solution to an unsolved (actually, unacknowledged) murder in the "real" world. Eliot's characters, Lady Margaret Chalfont and her family plus some non-family characters, mimic characters in his family, and solving his book's mystery will solve the mystery that occurred within his family some 20 years ago that related to his grandmother, children's author Miriam Crace.
However, as fate would have it, Eliot was murdered before he finished the book! How will his book end and what about the clues that he has provided – and which were responsible for Susan doing some background sleuthing. Enter Detective Inspector Ian Blakeney. You'll have to read the book to learn more about him. Lastly, perhaps as a way of tying together the previous Susan Ryeland mysteries, there is a deliciously devilish additional mystery (more easily guessed at, at least by me but no less enjoyable to read) regarding Elaine, who is married to Charles, the head of the publishing house and man who pushed Alan Conway to his death.
I'd blame my binge reading of this book on it's being a 14-day loaner but the fact is I couldn't put it down!
In Marble Hall Murders Horowitz continues the tradition of inserting a mystery within a mystery, much like Russian stacking dolls complete with the twist. Atticus Pünd is the fictional detective created years ago (in the timeline of the fiction) by author Alan Conway, and Susan Ryeland is the editor of Alan's books. By the time of Marble Hall Murders Alan Conway is no longer around, having been pushed off a tower to his death by the head of the publishing house that published his books. That event marked the end of the Atticüs Pund novels, until Eliot Crace turned up with a book he is writing, what's known as a continuation novel, and he wants to call it Pünd's Last Case.
Eliot opens a can of worms for Susan as she does not have positive memories of when she first met him, and she is not a fan of continuation mysteries. To her surprise, it turns out Eliot has grown into a better writer than he had been and his book intrigues her. Eliot has written in the style of Alan Conway, complete with inserting anagrams and clues within the story that will bring to light the solution to an unsolved (actually, unacknowledged) murder in the "real" world. Eliot's characters, Lady Margaret Chalfont and her family plus some non-family characters, mimic characters in his family, and solving his book's mystery will solve the mystery that occurred within his family some 20 years ago that related to his grandmother, children's author Miriam Crace.
However, as fate would have it, Eliot was murdered before he finished the book! How will his book end and what about the clues that he has provided – and which were responsible for Susan doing some background sleuthing. Enter Detective Inspector Ian Blakeney. You'll have to read the book to learn more about him. Lastly, perhaps as a way of tying together the previous Susan Ryeland mysteries, there is a deliciously devilish additional mystery (more easily guessed at, at least by me but no less enjoyable to read) regarding Elaine, who is married to Charles, the head of the publishing house and man who pushed Alan Conway to his death.
I'd blame my binge reading of this book on it's being a 14-day loaner but the fact is I couldn't put it down!
This is a touching and moving story, and my gut says that some or all of it is accurate and based on truth – if not for the author or someone she knew then for stories she heard from reliable sources. I had a difficult time reading the narrator, though, as her experience is nothing that I can grab onto and I come from a starkly different background.
I appreciate reading books that introduce me to other people and experiences that are outside of my lived experience. However, as noted above, I could not relate to Julia. She is a teenager with aspirations of leaving her neighborhood and has generally been a strong student and a strong writer, writing being what she wants to do for a career. She is trying to learn about her recently deceased sister Olga and is learning that Olga, contrary to appearances, had not been the 'perfect Mexican daughter.'
Not wanting to provide any spoilers, suffice it to say that I had a tough time reading about the impact that Olga's death had on Julia. At some point I may come back to this book and pick up from where I left off, but for now I am giving it a pause.
It has occurred to me that books with intense issues in them may not be the best for me to be reading at this particular time. It is August 2025 and I am watching my country be dragged into authoritarianism. There's no doubt that my reading diet should probably consist of uplifting books (which this may yet turn out to be!)
I appreciate reading books that introduce me to other people and experiences that are outside of my lived experience. However, as noted above, I could not relate to Julia. She is a teenager with aspirations of leaving her neighborhood and has generally been a strong student and a strong writer, writing being what she wants to do for a career. She is trying to learn about her recently deceased sister Olga and is learning that Olga, contrary to appearances, had not been the 'perfect Mexican daughter.'
Not wanting to provide any spoilers, suffice it to say that I had a tough time reading about the impact that Olga's death had on Julia. At some point I may come back to this book and pick up from where I left off, but for now I am giving it a pause.
It has occurred to me that books with intense issues in them may not be the best for me to be reading at this particular time. It is August 2025 and I am watching my country be dragged into authoritarianism. There's no doubt that my reading diet should probably consist of uplifting books (which this may yet turn out to be!)
This is likely a fabulous story for anyone who enjoys suspenseful murder mysteries. In general, I am fine with that genre. However, I had a tough time appreciating the murders (yes, plural) because they were of young adolescents, I kept wondering if one of the main characters was a safe person to be with for the other main character, and it was wrenching to read about the illness of that first main character (my friend's Dad has the same illness so it felt a bit close to home.)
With that said, reread my first sentence, because if that's your cup of tea then this will quite likely be a good read for you!
With that said, reread my first sentence, because if that's your cup of tea then this will quite likely be a good read for you!
Kathleen West (https://www.kathleenwestbooks.com/about) has written an entertaining mystery populated by some interesting "regular" people. By "regular" I mean that the characters are quirky, most of them not what they appear to be, and most of them people you might run into on a typical day in a big city. So who are these people?
Sarah Jones is apparently a common name, in this case around which an online group is formed called The Sarah Jones Instagram Project. The members are several women all with that name and all living in the same geographic area. They are identified by their ages as a way to tell them apart. The group was formed by 17 year old Sarah Jones who attends Sacred Heart Academy. She was given a chance to do penance by Sister Mary Theresa for her misuse of Instagram by doing something productive and positive with social media. There is 30, a fitness instructor at a gym; 27, a nanny to two girls whose mother happens to also be named Sarah Jones (though she is not part of TSJP); 44 and 39, both elementary teachers in the same school - indeed, in rooms next to one another; and 69, a retired lawyer and blogger of Murder, She Wrote.
All is not quite what it seems…one of the Sarah's is an imposter and a fraudster.
Join FBI agent George Nightingale, with input from his boss, Agent Vance, as they track down the fraudster, a murderer, and solve an old missing persons case from George's childhood. Oh yes, and there's a romance, budding friendships, and a surprise or two.
Sarah Jones is apparently a common name, in this case around which an online group is formed called The Sarah Jones Instagram Project. The members are several women all with that name and all living in the same geographic area. They are identified by their ages as a way to tell them apart. The group was formed by 17 year old Sarah Jones who attends Sacred Heart Academy. She was given a chance to do penance by Sister Mary Theresa for her misuse of Instagram by doing something productive and positive with social media. There is 30, a fitness instructor at a gym; 27, a nanny to two girls whose mother happens to also be named Sarah Jones (though she is not part of TSJP); 44 and 39, both elementary teachers in the same school - indeed, in rooms next to one another; and 69, a retired lawyer and blogger of Murder, She Wrote.
All is not quite what it seems…one of the Sarah's is an imposter and a fraudster.
Join FBI agent George Nightingale, with input from his boss, Agent Vance, as they track down the fraudster, a murderer, and solve an old missing persons case from George's childhood. Oh yes, and there's a romance, budding friendships, and a surprise or two.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Jeanine Cummins (https://jeaninecummins.com/), according to Wikipedia, is "an American author of Irish and Puerto Rican heritage…born in Rota, Spain, where her father, Gene, was stationed as a member of the US Navy. Her mother, Kay, was a nurse." She has lived in Belfast, Ireland and within the U.S. in Maryland and New York. One of her grandmothers was Puerto Rican. There is no doubt that this mixture of cultures and places has thoroughly permeated the characters of Speak to Me of Home.
I found this story emotionally moving and believable. This is also the second book in a row I've read (different authors) where not a single word was out of place in the telling of the tale. Cummins has a way with words that made places come alive in my imagination and let me envision the 'old world' charm of Mamamia and Papamio, a wealthy Puerto Rican family in the 1950s; the frustrating life of being a language and cultural transplant as experienced by their daughter Rafaela when she married Peter Brennan Jr and moved to St Louis in the 1980s; and the way two children raised in the same family could relate to their roots in very different manners, Rafaela's daughter Ruth remaining in the States, settling in New Jersey, and Rafaela's son Benny returning to Puerto Rico.
Ruth's three children Vic, Daisy and Carlos, comprise the fourth generation and bring the family tree up-to-date to 2023 and the onset of Hurricane Maria, which decimated portions of Puerto Rico. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Maria). Ruth's daughter Daisy is living in Puerto Rico and the story opens with a phone call from across the raging storm in Puerto Rico that creates an emotional storm in New Jersey. So begins a series of flashbacks and emotional reckonings that will gradually unveil the four generations of stories within this family. Drawn on a Banyan tree, there is a helpful family tree spanning two pages at the start of the book and I referred back to it multiple times to double check relationships.
I've lived in the same state all my life and my only knowledge of immigrating is provided by my sister-in-law, who left British Guyana, went to Barbados for a temporary stay, then immigrated to Canada and eventually to the United States where, after several years, she met my brother. She is one of many siblings, many of whom followed a similar route though some chose to remain where they were. The other immigrants in my family all came to the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
While this is a story of places during different eras (would the characters have responded differently if they faced similar situations in different decades?), home (what defines 'home'?), and culture (what impact does a new cultures have on immigrants? how much of that is under the individual's control?), at its heart this is the of each of the women in the family and it is through their eyes that the answers to these questions (and many others!) unfold.
I found this story emotionally moving and believable. This is also the second book in a row I've read (different authors) where not a single word was out of place in the telling of the tale. Cummins has a way with words that made places come alive in my imagination and let me envision the 'old world' charm of Mamamia and Papamio, a wealthy Puerto Rican family in the 1950s; the frustrating life of being a language and cultural transplant as experienced by their daughter Rafaela when she married Peter Brennan Jr and moved to St Louis in the 1980s; and the way two children raised in the same family could relate to their roots in very different manners, Rafaela's daughter Ruth remaining in the States, settling in New Jersey, and Rafaela's son Benny returning to Puerto Rico.
Ruth's three children Vic, Daisy and Carlos, comprise the fourth generation and bring the family tree up-to-date to 2023 and the onset of Hurricane Maria, which decimated portions of Puerto Rico. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Maria). Ruth's daughter Daisy is living in Puerto Rico and the story opens with a phone call from across the raging storm in Puerto Rico that creates an emotional storm in New Jersey. So begins a series of flashbacks and emotional reckonings that will gradually unveil the four generations of stories within this family. Drawn on a Banyan tree, there is a helpful family tree spanning two pages at the start of the book and I referred back to it multiple times to double check relationships.
I've lived in the same state all my life and my only knowledge of immigrating is provided by my sister-in-law, who left British Guyana, went to Barbados for a temporary stay, then immigrated to Canada and eventually to the United States where, after several years, she met my brother. She is one of many siblings, many of whom followed a similar route though some chose to remain where they were. The other immigrants in my family all came to the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
While this is a story of places during different eras (would the characters have responded differently if they faced similar situations in different decades?), home (what defines 'home'?), and culture (what impact does a new cultures have on immigrants? how much of that is under the individual's control?), at its heart this is the of each of the women in the family and it is through their eyes that the answers to these questions (and many others!) unfold.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Loved, loved, loved Sangu Mandanna's second witching book, having previously read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, which I also Loved, loved, loved. (My review: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/447f0ec7-678d-48d5-a8c5-692886b53952)
Mandanna (https://sangumandanna.com/) has a way with words where not one single word is wasted. Her choices of words are descriptive and – particularly in this book – almost seem to come alive on the page.
Sera Swan lives in an enchanted Inn that can only be found by those who are in special need of a place to stay. While most come for a night or two, the current occupants have been there for anywhere from two to 15 or more years, and they are the heart of the Inn. Prominent among them is Jasmine, Sera's Great Aunt; Clemmie, a talking fox; Roo-Roo, a no longer dead rooster who was accidentally returned to life – albeit just the bones – when Sera resurrected her Aunt Jasmine; Theo, a child and Sere's cousin; Matilda, who came for a short stay and remained for a long stay; Nicholas, a knight in shining armor; and Luke and his sister Posy, the latest guests to arrive.
This is a story of friendship, love in its many forms, righting wrongs and finding oneself. There are numerous other characters who have roles to play in the realm of friendship, magic, and love. Speaking of that last one, Sangu knows how to write some deliciously steamy scenes between Sera and Luke…
I would have devoured the entire 334 pages yesterday but it was precisely due to my loving the story so much that I forced myself to put it down so that I could linger a bit longer with the characters today.
PS In thinking further about this story when describing it to my husband, I realized that is some ways it is a fairy tale with parts resembling what is happening with the current (2025) United States government. Alfred Grey is the master evil entity. He is in control of the Guild, which oversees the training of witches in England, and he has grabbed power by cheating his way to the top and using nefarious methods to retain his power. This mimics to me the state of government in Washington D.C. In the fairy tale book good triumphs over evil at a cost but not an irreparable cost. There are no fairy tales to save America but there are millions who come out to protest and there are many keeping the flame of hope alive. There will be a cost (there already has been…) but I hold hope that good will triumph over evil.
Mandanna (https://sangumandanna.com/) has a way with words where not one single word is wasted. Her choices of words are descriptive and – particularly in this book – almost seem to come alive on the page.
Sera Swan lives in an enchanted Inn that can only be found by those who are in special need of a place to stay. While most come for a night or two, the current occupants have been there for anywhere from two to 15 or more years, and they are the heart of the Inn. Prominent among them is Jasmine, Sera's Great Aunt; Clemmie, a talking fox; Roo-Roo, a no longer dead rooster who was accidentally returned to life – albeit just the bones – when Sera resurrected her Aunt Jasmine; Theo, a child and Sere's cousin; Matilda, who came for a short stay and remained for a long stay; Nicholas, a knight in shining armor; and Luke and his sister Posy, the latest guests to arrive.
This is a story of friendship, love in its many forms, righting wrongs and finding oneself. There are numerous other characters who have roles to play in the realm of friendship, magic, and love. Speaking of that last one, Sangu knows how to write some deliciously steamy scenes between Sera and Luke…
I would have devoured the entire 334 pages yesterday but it was precisely due to my loving the story so much that I forced myself to put it down so that I could linger a bit longer with the characters today.
PS In thinking further about this story when describing it to my husband, I realized that is some ways it is a fairy tale with parts resembling what is happening with the current (2025) United States government. Alfred Grey is the master evil entity. He is in control of the Guild, which oversees the training of witches in England, and he has grabbed power by cheating his way to the top and using nefarious methods to retain his power. This mimics to me the state of government in Washington D.C. In the fairy tale book good triumphs over evil at a cost but not an irreparable cost. There are no fairy tales to save America but there are millions who come out to protest and there are many keeping the flame of hope alive. There will be a cost (there already has been…) but I hold hope that good will triumph over evil.
From what I gather, this is not the first foray into historical fiction written by Martha Hall Kelly (https://marthahallkelly.com/). This story grabbed me for several reasons: My husband's family had a summer-turned-year-round home on Cape Cod to which they retired. The Cape is across the water from Martha's Vineyard, and our next door neighbors of 30 years retired to their summer-tuned-year-round home there. We've been to the Vineyard twice and stayed not far from where I believe this book took place (near where our friends live).
I am also a fan of reading books about World War II, so this story grabbed me both for geographic familiarity and historical interest. Martha Kelly has crafted an engaging story that pulled me in from the beginning and I was rooting for all of the members of the Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club, wanting their stories to pan out and have happy endings. (Yes, I am a romantic that way!) She was masterful in creating strong female characters, each with their own strengths and areas for growth. I particularly appreciated that, while the men definitely figure in this story, it was the women who were heroic, decisive and strong.
Of great interest was learning about the role of Martha's Vineyard in helping to prepare for the D-Day invasion. Martha Kelly elaborates on this on her website at https://marthahallkelly.com/blog/general/how-marthas-vineyard-prepared-soldiers-for-normandy/
The story is based on fact and imbued with history taken from the author's rich family history with the Vineyard. As for me being a romantic, did all of the women's stories have happy endings? That's for you to find out!
I am also a fan of reading books about World War II, so this story grabbed me both for geographic familiarity and historical interest. Martha Kelly has crafted an engaging story that pulled me in from the beginning and I was rooting for all of the members of the Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club, wanting their stories to pan out and have happy endings. (Yes, I am a romantic that way!) She was masterful in creating strong female characters, each with their own strengths and areas for growth. I particularly appreciated that, while the men definitely figure in this story, it was the women who were heroic, decisive and strong.
Of great interest was learning about the role of Martha's Vineyard in helping to prepare for the D-Day invasion. Martha Kelly elaborates on this on her website at https://marthahallkelly.com/blog/general/how-marthas-vineyard-prepared-soldiers-for-normandy/
The story is based on fact and imbued with history taken from the author's rich family history with the Vineyard. As for me being a romantic, did all of the women's stories have happy endings? That's for you to find out!
This first mystery by Eliza Reid turned out to be more enjoyable than I expected, complete with a twist or two at the end. It took me awhile to connect with Jane, the spouse of Graeme (Canadien Ambassador to Iceland), and she seemed to be the grounding dominant character. I appreciated how the chapters were structured and titled, the latter providing hints as to what might be coming. Some of the characters seemed like stereotypes but, ultimately, the more I read the less it bothered me. I had accepted the characters for what they were.
What I didn't expect were some of the resolutions at story's end. Some resolutions were expected…yet due to the twist it did make me think twice about intention and guilt.
Coupled with the story is a travelogue of Iceland, particularly the Westman Islands located just off the southwest coast of Iceland. The geography and pace of life is quite different from my life in New York!
What I didn't expect were some of the resolutions at story's end. Some resolutions were expected…yet due to the twist it did make me think twice about intention and guilt.
Coupled with the story is a travelogue of Iceland, particularly the Westman Islands located just off the southwest coast of Iceland. The geography and pace of life is quite different from my life in New York!
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
A truly delightful and fun romp around a small island in Scotland. Oh, with a murder tossed in. And romance. Plus humor and comedy. While this story at first seemed like it was going to be rather silly, the tale soon morphed into something more (see previous sentences) and I became hooked, wanting to know more about the three authors who purport to be best friends, the real reason they are all together in this Scottish castle, and wondering about the backstories of the various inhabitants of this small village.
Apparently the three real authors (the ones who wrote this story) are authors in their own right but have also co-authored books together, as well. Beatriz Williams (https://beatrizwilliams.com/about/), Lauren Willig (https://laurenwillig.com/bio/) and Karen White (https://www.karen-white.com/) are good friends and this story just happens to include three authors who do not start out as friends but get there in the end. If I had to take a guess, my money would be the following alter egos: Kat for Karen, Emma for Lauren and Cassie for Beatriz.
Here's the deal – each of the authors (the fictional ones!) have had an experience with Brett Saffron Presley, a self-absorbed author who lives out his rather off-beat sexual fantasies much to the harm of his victims. When he opens up his estate (rented!) in Scotland as a writer's retreat the three women authors manage to book themselves into the retreat and then find out they are the only ones participating. They are there to humiliate Presley but when he winds up dead the fun and games cease and turn into a quest to prove that they are not guilty but someone else most certainly is.
There is romance, suspense, humor, a mystery to be solved, indeed several mysteries are discovered and uncovered, and what started out as rather silly became a page turner to the very last page! Be sure to read the Authors' Note at the end to learn how this book came about.
Apparently the three real authors (the ones who wrote this story) are authors in their own right but have also co-authored books together, as well. Beatriz Williams (https://beatrizwilliams.com/about/), Lauren Willig (https://laurenwillig.com/bio/) and Karen White (https://www.karen-white.com/) are good friends and this story just happens to include three authors who do not start out as friends but get there in the end. If I had to take a guess, my money would be the following alter egos: Kat for Karen, Emma for Lauren and Cassie for Beatriz.
Here's the deal – each of the authors (the fictional ones!) have had an experience with Brett Saffron Presley, a self-absorbed author who lives out his rather off-beat sexual fantasies much to the harm of his victims. When he opens up his estate (rented!) in Scotland as a writer's retreat the three women authors manage to book themselves into the retreat and then find out they are the only ones participating. They are there to humiliate Presley but when he winds up dead the fun and games cease and turn into a quest to prove that they are not guilty but someone else most certainly is.
There is romance, suspense, humor, a mystery to be solved, indeed several mysteries are discovered and uncovered, and what started out as rather silly became a page turner to the very last page! Be sure to read the Authors' Note at the end to learn how this book came about.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Ariel Lawhon (https://www.ariellawhon.com/about/) is a masterful author of historical fiction, and I can state that with some authority after having read three of her books – this one, The Frozen River (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/60972cd4-d382-4df3-b1d7-ed0b45661ac7) and The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/aa72f871-4a7f-4019-ad05-3be2c2acd989).
Okay, so that's a lot of long links in an otherwise brief paragraph. What makes Lawhon's books so well written? Research, lots of it, a fascination with her main character(s), and an ability to tell an historical story as if we - the reader - were a fly on the wall watching and listening. In addition, at the end of each book Lawhon provides Author's Notes that are chock full of background information and well worth reading but not till after reading the story! This book is about Nancy Grace August Wake, born in New Zealand, raised in Australia, and then settling herself in Paris where she procured a job as a journalist, and that was just the beginning of her very active life filled with covert actions.
Nancy's involvement in the French Resistance during World War Two forms the basis of the book, but before that she married Henri Fiocca, a wealthy businessman, and they settled in Marseilles. By all accounts they had a very loving marriage where they honored each other for who they were. Thus, Henri did not try to stop Nancy from engaging with the Resistance. What began as mostly courier work to aid Jews and others in escaping from Vichy France wound up turning into becoming a spy as well as leading men in the Resistance to fight and stymie the Germans. To successfully do her work she had several aliases: Madame Andrée (her code name when she was on the ground fighting and leading men to fight), Lucienne Carlier (her code name when acting as a courier), Hélène (in her capacity as a spy), and the name given to her by the Germans: The White Mouse.
I completed reading this book yesterday on July 4th, Independence Day in the United States and found the history of Nancy's story resonant with what has been happening in the US and the current president. Because of that I think the reality of her situation and the horrors she witnessed hit me particularly hard. I took heart from her efforts because my country's purported leader is at war with that which has defined this country for almost 250 years. The masked ICE agents are no different than the German brownshirts of Hitler's Nazi state. The concentration camps were no different than the horrific detention centers both in the US and in those countries that are willing to take innocent people and incarcerate them. I could continue but it is truly too discouraging to do so.
Nancy Wake is a compelling hero, fearless and driven by a strong sense of values. She saw countless horrors and rather than sitting by and doing nothing, she dedicated herself to taking action, and wow, did she ever do just that!
To learn more about Nancy:
Okay, so that's a lot of long links in an otherwise brief paragraph. What makes Lawhon's books so well written? Research, lots of it, a fascination with her main character(s), and an ability to tell an historical story as if we - the reader - were a fly on the wall watching and listening. In addition, at the end of each book Lawhon provides Author's Notes that are chock full of background information and well worth reading but not till after reading the story! This book is about Nancy Grace August Wake, born in New Zealand, raised in Australia, and then settling herself in Paris where she procured a job as a journalist, and that was just the beginning of her very active life filled with covert actions.
Nancy's involvement in the French Resistance during World War Two forms the basis of the book, but before that she married Henri Fiocca, a wealthy businessman, and they settled in Marseilles. By all accounts they had a very loving marriage where they honored each other for who they were. Thus, Henri did not try to stop Nancy from engaging with the Resistance. What began as mostly courier work to aid Jews and others in escaping from Vichy France wound up turning into becoming a spy as well as leading men in the Resistance to fight and stymie the Germans. To successfully do her work she had several aliases: Madame Andrée (her code name when she was on the ground fighting and leading men to fight), Lucienne Carlier (her code name when acting as a courier), Hélène (in her capacity as a spy), and the name given to her by the Germans: The White Mouse.
I completed reading this book yesterday on July 4th, Independence Day in the United States and found the history of Nancy's story resonant with what has been happening in the US and the current president. Because of that I think the reality of her situation and the horrors she witnessed hit me particularly hard. I took heart from her efforts because my country's purported leader is at war with that which has defined this country for almost 250 years. The masked ICE agents are no different than the German brownshirts of Hitler's Nazi state. The concentration camps were no different than the horrific detention centers both in the US and in those countries that are willing to take innocent people and incarcerate them. I could continue but it is truly too discouraging to do so.
Nancy Wake is a compelling hero, fearless and driven by a strong sense of values. She saw countless horrors and rather than sitting by and doing nothing, she dedicated herself to taking action, and wow, did she ever do just that!
To learn more about Nancy:
- Australian War Memorial (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P332)
- The National Archives, UK (https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/nancy-wake/)
- League of Women Voters' of Indiana (https://www.lwvin.org/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_id=42001&item_id=67755)
- Nancy Wake Wikipedia entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Wake)