Louise Penny's Still Life:

 

Still Life: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel (A Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery

by Louise Penny

A Coming of Age of a Different Sort

 

Five Stars!

A wonderful story, full of accuracy and poignancy! Drew's excellent writing shines through in this, his first novel that is not a mystery story. He bravely dives into the complexity of coming of age in dire circumstances, and finishing the growth to adulthood in learning the reality of parent care with Alzheimer's twisting ways. I look forward to more wide-reaching novels from him.

Lessons in Chemistry

 

This novel reads like a well researched, highly entertaining, informative and encouraging biography. The author has composed an accurate, engrossing tale of women's struggles in attaining professional status within the scientific community. I am so pleased to have learned of this book. I was riveted to the unfolding story. Five stars to Bonnie Garmus!

THE WRONG GIRL: Jane Ryland Book 2: by Hank Phillippi Ryan

 Never a disappointing read ... Hank's THE WRONG GIRL has a plethora of characters that, while disparate in the beginning are brought together skillfully in the end. This is another of her books that deals openly with real social concerns and has value as both a well written mystery and relevant, current wake-up call for public responsibility in improved funding for wards of the state. This is a must read for undergrads considering a career in social work.

The Other Woman

 

Hank Phillippi Ryan begins a five book series featuring investigative reporter Jane Ryland with this mystery involving politics, deception and murder(s). With Boston and surrounding Massachusetts areas as the primary setting, her characters quickly develop as believable and memorable. Hank's own experiences in television reporting and investigations support her readers' ability to follow the ins and outs of political campaigning and police procedures.  I'm looking forward to following these characters through this series.