At Home: The Books of March

I finally feel like I'm getting closer to my reading stride! March was productive and with a good mix of subjects (but most, as usual, mysteries). The four mysteries (by Ann Cleeves, Deborah crombie, Louise Penny and Donna Leon) are all "series" books with beloved characters. Add to it a bio-fiction book and a non-fiction look at a favorite composer and you have my March list!

"The Gray Wolf" by Louise Penny

It's no secret that when it comes to mystery/crime novels, Louise Penny is right at the top of my list. There was a long delay before her most recent release, "The Gray Wolf," came out (and even longer for me, as it didn't arrive in my hands till after the new year!) but it was well worth the wait.

As with Penny's other books, "The Gray Wolf" follows another case taken on by Armande Gamache, Chief of Quebec's Surete or police. And, in true Penny style, it centers around not only Gamache's professional life but his personal one as well. 

At the opening, we find him in the idyllic village of Three Pines, enjoying a quiet Sunday morning with his wife, Reine Marie. A persistent phone call that he refuses to answer until he can wait no longer interrupts the peace of the day, asking him for a meeting. Jeanne Caron, chief of staff to the deputy prime minister, did her best to ruin Gamache's life in the past and he declines to meet.  It isn't long before that peace is turned completely upside down when he discovers his Montreal apartment has been broken into.

The only thing stolen from the apartment is an old raincoat and things become more complicated when that coat is returned with a message to meet at a cafe. Marine biologist Charles Langlois says he wasn't the thief but was told to return it. He leaves Gamache with some cryptic clues that imply a major environmental disaster, an act of terrorism, is in the works. But before Gamache can learn much more, Langlois is killed by a hit and run driver as he leaves the restaurant. His dying words, "Family," are only more confusing to the chief inspector.

This, of course, leads Gamache, and his two trusted team members, Inspector (and son-in-law) Jean Guy Beauvoir, and second-in-command Isabelle Lacoste, on a frantic chase that takes them to desolated parts of Quebec to Rome, Washington DC, and to France in search of answers before the act of terror can strike. None of the information they find makes sense and even worse, there is no one else they can trust.

Penny is a wonderful writer, both writing of heart and humanity and of action. This one kept me up way past my bedtime as I reached the last sixty pages of so, and it was well worth the late night. The book also implies a sequel and indeed, Penny has said that "The Black Wolf" will follow this fall.

I always recommend reading series in sequence, as characters evolve and relationships change or develop over time and overall, I'd say that for the Gamache books. That said, Penny does an excellent job of tying in places and people that have appeared in her previous novels in a clear way so that you can fully enjoy "The Gray Wolf" without having read previous books in the series.

If I have any quibble with this one, besides its length (it's a long one -- but I have no idea how I could edit  any more tightly), it's that I would love to see a little more of Three Pines. The characters of this village are so beautifully drawn and developed that even when they don't figure much into the actual action of the book, they are a joy to be around.

A Killing of Innocents by Deborah Crombie

I've waited a long time to read the most recent book in Deborah Crombie's detective series following Duncan Kincaid and his wife, Gemma James' cases. (The fault is partly mine -- I just couldn't find it locally and wasn't inclined to order.) Finally reading it was like connecting with dear friends in London, my favorite city.

The main case under investigation involves the stabbing of a young medical resident, Sasha Johnson, who was walking through Russell Square en route to meet her roommate, Tully, at the gallery where she worked. The stabbing appeared to be well placed, killing her instantly. Kincaid and his DS, Doug Cullen, are called to the scene. Conversations with Tully reveal that Sasha was earlier supposed to meet someone who didn't show up. 

The team's investigations take them to Sasha's hospital, where they speak with head nurse Neel Choudhury and others on the staff, then to the club owned by Tully's brother and where Sasha's brother, Tyler works. (Tyler, Kincaid learns, hasn't been seen by his family or dormitory roommate for some time.) Even sending Kincaid's detective wife, Gemma, and his sergeant, Jasmine Sildana, undercover to the club, reveals little information. The case is baffling. 

And then, with another stabbing with a similar method, the case becomes more complicated.

Equally important (and yes, designed to be enigmatic) are several chapter preludes that follow a mysterious woman who has left her family and returned, obviously very ill. How does she figure into the story, for we all know she will.

The police procedural here is solid, the characters well drawn. But what I especially love about this series is that it is more than policing. We also see the Kincaid/James family at home with their blended family -- teen son Kit, eight-year-old Toby who is appearing for the first time in "The Nutcracker" and their four-year-old foster daughter, Charlotte (who came to them in an earlier case). The relationships are warm and well developed and we have equally interesting secondary characters as well. That combination -- a good plot and wonderful characters (along with excellent city detail) makes me long for another book in the series. I hope Crombie is working on one.

"The Secret Life of Sunflowers" by Marta Molnar

I wish I could love this book. It has such potential -- a modern-day story alternating with a historic one with the historic story focusing in large part on the work of Vincent Van Gogh (one of my favorites). 

Unfortunately fake bio-fiction is not a genre I enjoy, nor am I overly fond of books that go back in forth in time with multiple narrators. But I'd be willing to cut it some slack if a) the modern story wasn't predictable and b) the writer had some real art to her writing with a genuinely well written turn of phrase.

But I started out with hope, and sometimes it was just fine, as long as I let my persnickitieness go and aimed to enjoy. But still, it could have been so much better. And, some of you may really enjoy it because the form might be more your thing. No judgment, that's just me.

The two characters are contemporary Emsley (I hate weird names like that in a book), an auctioneer of celebrity memorabilia and high ticket charity items and Johane, a Dutch woman of the 1800, who ends up marrying Theo Van Gogh, brother of Vincent. 

Emsley is being forced by her California business partner to relinqush her share in the company they started together and she is hoping to buy him out. But her life goes on hold when her beloved artist grandmother, Violet, who lives in New York, dies. Emsley must go east to sell the house and settle the estate.

Meanwhile, Johane (who is more commonly known as Johanna) finds happiness with Theo Van Gogh (his brother Vincent's biggest advocate). But following Vincent's death, Theo goes mad with grief and dies himself. Johanna is determined to preserve Vincent's legacy and bring him the recognition he deserves

Johanna's story is clearly an interesting one and the one the author says in her end notes (that lack any bibliographic or source inspiration notations) that motivated her to write the book. And it IS a good story, one that deserves to be told and shared. If it was simply her story, I would have kinder things to say about the book.

The Emsley story (which she tries to connect both through artifacts found in the home of Emsley's grandmother and in the determination to a cause that the two women share) is just dumb. It's trite, it's predictable, it's unnecessary, it's common. It could be a OK enough "meet cute" novel on its own but to me it felt like something a beginning fiction writer would pen, thinking "Hallmark movie!" 

That said, I'm glad I read it because it sent me on a search for more about Johanna Van Gogh Bonger and she's an interesting woman. If you can access it, I recommend this New York Times article as one that tells her story without the fiction or the Wikipedia page about her life.

"The Glass Room" by Ann Cleeves 

Ann Cleeves is a favorite author of mine and her character "Vera" is iconic to those who have seen the terrific television series based on Cleeves' characters. "The Glass Room" is a "Vera" mystery and it's a good one.

When Vera's neighbor Joanna goes missing, her partner asks Vera to help find her. Joanna has slipped away from home to join a residential writer's workshop week. But as Vera approaches the home where it is being held, she hears a blood curdling scream. It turns out that one of the tutors, a respected academic whose yay or nay can make or break a young writer's career, has been violently stabbed.

Besides Joanna, there are several others participating -- former convict Lenny, former policeman Mark, academic Nina, and retired writer Giles, along with workshop coordinator Miranda and her chef son, Alex. Publisher Chrissy has also been at the mansion and published some of the writers, as well as looking for new talent.

The case is a confusing one at the outset, baffling Vera and her team -- Joe, Holly and Charlie. But it becomes all the more so when a second death occurs, and then an  attempt on one of the remaining group members.

As far as I can tell, the "Vera" novels do not need to be read in order. This one is definitely worth picking up if you are a fan of a solid mystery and a police procedural with a character that is quirky and smart.

"The Golden Egg" by Donna Leon

This is the 22nd of Donna Leon's "Brunetti" books and I've read them all. This might be one of my favorites as the plot deals less with the corruption and political issues of Venice (which factors into most of them) and more into a human issue.

Davide Cavanella is a 40-year-old man who was deaf and presumed mentally incapacitated. He worked at the laundry where Brunetti and his wife Paola take their clothes. When he is found dead, apparently a suicide, Paola is especially upset and Brunetti agrees to look into it. 

Early encounters with Davide's mother, are not fruitful. Even less so is the fact that there is absolutely no information about him in any of the legal systems that Brunetti or the intrepid computer-hacking secretary Signorina Elettra can be found that he even exists. No birth certificate, medical or social services information. Neighbors will say nothing. The lack of information leads Brunetti and his team -- Sergeant Vianello, officer Pucetti and colleague Claudia Griffoni -- into learning more about his mother and her background. 

The ending is extremely satisfying and this one is well worth a read. Donna Leon is a fast read. The series does not need to be read in order and this would be a good one to introduce you to the characters.

"How Sondheim Can Change Your Life" by Richard Schoch

Before you read on, this book isn't for everyone. If you are not a theatre goer, you may not be interested in the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim or the Broadway shows in which they are a part. But if you are a fan of theatre musicals in general and Sondheim in particular, you might find much to love about this book. I did.

Writer Richard Scherch essentially dissects most of the musicals for which Sondheim penned music, lyrics or both, looking behind the meanings of the songs to indicate the lessons that the shows impart. (Those not included are "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and "West Side Story," two of the more mainstream musicals -- one a farce, the other a modern tragedy.)

In the chapter on one of my favorites, "Gypsy," Schoch sees the lesson as "How to Be Who You Are.  ("Gypsy" follows the story of burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee's youth in show business -- and incidentally, the name of my beloved late cat Gypsy, the namesake of this blog.) He focuses to characters -- Louise, the neglected daughter who becomes Gypsy, and Madame Rose, the mother of Louise and her more talented sister. All three are looking to find themselves -- Louise, a tranquil life; June, a show business life far from her mother's heavy hand, and Rose herself, who is living her failed show business dreams through her daughters, pushing them beyond all they want. 

"Company," about the bachelor Bobby and his group of married friends explores "How to Get Close," while "Follies," which takes place at a reunion in which old dreams and fantasies return talks about "How to Survive Your Past." Through the song "Send in the Clowns" from "A Little Night Music, Schoch writes about "How to Handle Your Regrets," while with "Sweeney Todd" (the demon barber of Fleet Street), he delves into "How (NOT) to Deal with Injustice."

It's a thoughtful conceit and a well written one, exploring thirteen musicals with a thoughtfulness and depth that an actor or director -- or an enthusiastic theatre goer -- would find illuminating. I didn't always agree with Schochs with a couple of musicals I know well, but I could clearly see how the points he made and his perceptions made a good deal of sense. 

This one isn't for everyone, but it certainly was a good book for me.

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