Just a short post. For some reason, I'm of a mind that I have nothing really worthwhile to say, but I will push on regardless.
I LOVED Death on a Winter Stroll by Francine Mathews. I dreaded seeing it come to an end. I slowed my pace of reading. I did everything I could to avoid finishing it. Nantucket Island is such an atmospheric environment, in all ways, and this novel embraced it, and was the best of this series I've read. I will read more now. (This one was number 3 for me, although it is the most recently published.)
I listened to Left on Tenth by the writer Delia Ephron (younger sister of Nora Ephron). This is Delia's memoir of her several years fighting the bitterest leukemia of them all and the struggles to survive via a bone-marrow transplant. I never would have listened to this memoir, were it not that the new-found love of her life saw it through with her steadfastly every step of the way. It was a harrowing tale, and a devotion of love, but I can assure myself and everyone who reads this, please read this memoir before you endure a bone-marrow transplant. I, for one, would never willingly partake in the horror she lived through.
The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation by Rosemary Sullivan was well worth the time I spent studying it. (Non-Fiction November). I hope to dedicate a post to it, and include the controversies that surrounded its publication early in 2022.
Right now, I am thoroughly embracing The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks, which, I'm happy to say, is a superlative historical novel, with all the facts and time period accuracies in place. Elizabeth Gow was the Scottish nanny of the eventually kidnapped Charles Lindbergh, Jr., son of "Lucky Lindy" and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. It's very well done.
Look forward to your comments on the Anne Frank book if you do a post. I've started a bit of Christmas reading with The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake. Also plan to read a few Christmas crime and ghost stories and post about them later on in the month. Happy December, Judith!
ReplyDeleteHi Cath,
DeleteYes, I'm definitely planning a researched post about The Betrayal of Anne Frank. A very cold rainy day tomorrow--maybe this will be my chance to get into it!
I've been delving into Christmas reading as well. Nothing stellar to report yet, however, although I am enjoying the change of pace.
And a very Happy December to you, Cath!
I am glad you keep reminding me to read that first book in the Francine Matthews series set on Nantucket Island. And very glad to hear that you enjoyed the latest one in the series so much.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to tell you that Dan Fesperman acknowledged Francine Matthews for her help in his depiction of women CIA operatives in 1979 in Safe Houses (a book I just finished reading). She was an intelligence analyst for the CIA for four years.
The Lindbergh Nanny sounds very appealing in your description. I will look out for a copy.
Hi Tracy,
DeleteI think you will enjoy the Francine Mathews' Nantucket Island mystery series.
And I'm so very interested to learn that Mathews assisted Dan Fesperman for his book Safe Houses. Will have to look that one up straight away! Now I'm curious!
I do think you would really like getting into the cast and characters and situations in the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh, Jr.!
I'm a bit scared of Left on Tenth ... has she really come through all that?! Is Delia okay now? Good grief it does sound awful & painful. I guess I should read it to understand it better. I will be watching for your Anne Frank post. Did you happen to read Miep Gies's book about Anne Frank? It was years ago but I recall it flooring me at the time. I recommend it.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit scared of it, too! And I also wonder if Delia is really okay now. The book ends with 2020 information, so that posed the question about the quality of her health now. It's very well done, I can say that for sure!
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