September was another "quiet" reading month. But it included two wonderful mysteries and a peek behind the royal curtain.
"The Last Devil to Die" by Richard Osmun
The trouble with Richard Osmun's "Thursday Murder Club" series is that the books are so delightful that one doesn't want to finish them! Yet, they are so good, you keep reading (and reading and reading), turning pages as fast as you can. A true dilemma!
His most recent offering in the series finds the group concerned about the murder of an antique dealer who was a friend of both characters Bogdan and Stephen. The death was apparently related to drugs but the police department seems less concerned about finding Kulesh's killer than it does the heroin that may well have led to his murder. So, detectives Chris and Donna, along with the senior gang at Cooper's Chase, launch out independently and immerse themselves in finding the murderer -- and the heroin.
As always, Osmun's characters are finely drawn -- former spy Elizabeth; one-time nurse Joyce; psychiatrist Ibrahim and one time union organizer Ron, along with the Polish Bogdan and detectives Chris and Donna. So, too, are some of the potential suspects -- art forger Susanna and her partner, Garth and drug dealers Mitch and Luca.
There are many smiles in this book -- there always are in this series of improbable but delightful situations. But there is also great poignancy and yes, a few tears. It is a worthy offering.
(The first book in the series is currently being filmed with Helen Mirren as Elizabeth, Pierce Brosnan as Ron, Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim and Celia Imrie as Joyce.)
"Spare" by Prince Harry
I'll admit I have a fascination with the British royals and have for years. But I decided to wait til I could either get Prince Harry's controversial memoir, "Spare," in paperback, used or on sale. I finally got a copy and dug in.
For those who neither know (or care) about the royals and the feud between Harry and his brother, William and his father, King Charles, the book has received a lot of notice as a tell-all, filled with horrible stories about his family. I suspect a large percentage of the reason the royals are so upset isn't so much the content in the book but the fact that Harry broke the cardinal rule of "Never complain, never explain" in telling his story. But what results is a candid and intriguing look behind the curtain at the world's most dysfunctional family.
Harry begins with his childhood and of course, the death of his mother, Diana. At the time he was 12 and in the "suck it up, Buttercup" world of the royals, the grieving process was difficult and complicated. The early chapters of the book reveal how he internalized much of the events of that time, even fantasizing (for years) that his mother hadn't died, but had disappeared to start a new, private life and soon would return for Harry and his brother. (As one who spent a decade working with grieving children about Harry's age at a children's grief center, those stories and emotions ran all too true to form. The difference was, at our center, the kids had a safe place to share those feelings with others experiencing similar situations.)
The second part of the book deals with Harry's experiences in the Army, where he truly found a home and a calling. It wasn't easy -- after many months in Afghanistan, he was pulled because he was considered a target for kidnapping and consequently, a danger to his own team. I found the sections on the army especially interesting and well written and explained.
He also candidly deals with his behavior during his teen and young adult years -- often ill-advised -- including drug use and acting out. And, he makes very clear that his passion for Africa and for service, including his role in creating the Invictus Games, is deep and powerful.
Within the first two sections of the book, it is clear that Harry's issues with his brother went back far into their youth with a good deal of sibling rivalry and "the heir" always claiming power over "the spare." Harry has a lot of anger about this and he tells of numerous events in which he wasn't allowed to work on a project he had interest in, either because William claimed it first or vetoed it. And yet, he always indicates there was a good deal of love between the two, if not always understanding.
The third section of the book deals with more recent times, including Harry's passion for Africa, his relationship and courtship with his future wife, Meghan Markle, the years of their marriage to date and finally, the couple's decision to leave England for America -- seemingly the nail in the coffin of Harry's relationship with both his brother and father. He makes an excellent case for himself -- along with a desire to serve his father, the King.
So, of course I have to ask myself, "if you were Harry or Charles, how would you feel about this book (and Harry's controversial interview with Oprah and the couple's Netflix series.)"
And my answer is, "Get over it, guys." Actually, I have NO idea why Charles is bent out of shape, unless he is being encouraged by William. The words Harry writes about his father (and Queen Camilla) are honest in his point of view -- but absolutely no worse than any kid might think about a parent or step parent when times are tough.
William has a bit more room to be ticked off. Harry was brutally honest in his feelings about his brother -- and they are complicated, based on history, competition and love. That wound will take longer to heal and it will require both parties to let go. Stay tuned, royal watchers.
"The Children Return" by Martin Walker
Martin Walker's character "Bruno," chief of police of the French Perigord town of St. Denis, returns in a well conceived mystery that keeps one involved to the last page. In this outing, Bruno is dealing with three significant situations, and as complicated as it seems, Walker makes them all easy to follow in this information-packed book.
The "children" who return to St. Denis are a young Muslin man with Autism, Sami, who has been away for many years, first at a Muslim school in Toulouse and then -- where? It turns out that he has escaped from Afghanistan where he was forced into making explosive devices for the Taliban. It becomes apparent to Bruno that Sami is also a wanted man by the Taliban, who want to kill him for all he knows about the organization. Bruno, with the help of the Brigadier, must remove and protect Sami from harm, along with his adoptive parents. They are taken to a heavily-guarded chateau where the young man will be evaluated by a psychiatric tribunal to see if he is capable of standing trial as a terrorist. Meanwhile, the Taliban (and the media) are out to get him.
As Bruno negotiates working with the Brigadier, a lovely American diplomat with an FBI background named Nancy, and the three members of the tribunal (while negotiating his own safety), he is also part of a group in the town who have received a letter outlining a potential legacy bequest from a Jewish man who had been sheltered, along with his sister, from the Nazis in World War II. The bequest would fund a project that would, in some way, thank the town for having supported children such as they were, during that time. It is up to Bruno, the mayor and their teacher friend, Florence, to develop a project that will bring this gift to the town.
The third plot involves Bruno's friend, the doctor Fabiola, who is having relationship issues with the man she loves. It appears that Fabiola has a back story, perhaps one involving assault, that is preventing her from moving forward with the relationship. When she reacts negatively to a member of the psychiatric tribunal evaluating Sami, Bruno realizes that perhaps there is more to that relationship than it seems.
The three stories intertwine, revealing new depth to some familiar characters and, as Walker always does, developing into a fascinating mystery with more than a bit of contemporary focus along with a good bit of terrifying action.
I've read many of the Bruno books and this may be my favorite to date. It's well worth a read.
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