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The Book Whisperer Recommends

Readers are generally looking for that next great book to read. Today’s blog centers on a variety of novels. Out of the books described here, readers will find something of interest. Perhaps a contemporary love story gone wrong will be the ticket, or a book in which two characters in different countries become friends through letters will intrigue a reader. The books in this blog post cover a range of places, people, and time.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones received a great deal of praise. In An American Marriage, Celestial and Roy seem destined for great happiness throughout their married life. An up and coming young professional, Roy has such a good job that he persuades Celestial to quit her day job in order to be an artist full time. Without warning, Roy and Celestial find their lives turned upside down when Roy is not only accused of a terrible crime he did not commit, but he is also found guilty and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison. How can the marriage survive if the two cannot even be together? Even when Roy’s sentence is over-turned after five years, the damage has been done. Or has it? An American Marriage offers a compelling story of loss and recovery, although not the way a reader may expect at first.

The next book takes place in war-torn Normandy in 1944. Stephen P. Kiernan, author of The Hummingbird and The Curiosity, has written a book about courage in the face of great danger, about optimism, and about the way humans overcome even the most horrid of terrors. The Baker’s Secret features Emma who is the village baker, having learned from Ezra Kuchen, a master baker. The Germans occupy the town and discover Emma’s fragrant bread. The Nazi leader gives Emma extra flour each day so she can bake a dozen baguettes. What the occupiers do not know is that Emma adds ground straw to stretch the dough even further. And Emma also works in resistance at great peril to her own life.

A book set in contemporary Quebec is next on my list: The Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny, the latest Chief Inspector Gamache detective story. Chief Inspector Gamache is involved in yet another intriguing murder mystery. To add to the story, Chief Inspector Gamache is still under suspension for allowing a large supply of lethal drugs to slip into the country. His plan is to catch the supplier as well as the manufacturer of the drugs, not merely the one supply of drugs. Unfortunately, others do not share his vision and feel he has unleased a terrible plague on the city. In the Washington Post, Maureen Corrigan, reviewer extraordinaire, calls The Kingdom of the Blind “a spellbinder… another outstanding Gamache adventure… ingenious… what more could a mystery reader -- or any reader for that matter – want?” And for those readers not yet introduced to Louise Penny, they have a treat in store if they begin with the first book: Still Life.

Circe by Madeline Miller takes readers on a journey in quite a different place from Quebec. Miller retells Circe’s story according to Alexandra Alter in The New York Times “recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right.” When Circe discovers her own witchcraft power, Zeus banishes her. Little does he know, that on that deserted island, Circe works to become more powerful. Circe has garnered a number of awards including being named one of the best books of the year by NPR, The Washington Post, People, Time, and Kirkus.

Another debut novel, Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce takes place in 1940 in London. Bombs are falling night after night. Emmy and Bunty, childhood friends from a village near London now live in London. Bunty works for the war office typing up memos. Emmy works in a law office, but she dreams of becoming a war correspondent. She answers an ad which she believes is for the newspaper. She learns the job is a typist for Mrs. Bird who answers questions that are then published in The Woman’s Friend, a magazine owned by the same company that owns the newspaper. Mrs. Bird is quite proper and insists that Emmy must throw away all letters containing anything unpleasant. Emmy feels those people with unpleasant questions are the ones who need help the most. Pearce found inspiration in reading letters to advice columnists in the 1940s, Agony Aunts, they are called. As one might imagine, Emmy cannot resist replying to some of the letters. Trouble, obviously ensues. In addition to her trouble at work, Emmy and Bunty must navigate the war-torn streets each day going to and from work and home. People suggests that fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will enjoy Dear Mrs. Bird. I agree.

Watch for more good fiction from the Book Whisperer in an up-coming Patch article.