Cold Earth

Cold Earth by Ann Cleeves.

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books;(April 18, 2017)
ISBN-10: 1250107385


Amazon Review

In the dark days of a Shetland winter, torrential rain triggers a landslide that crosses the main road and sweeps down to the sea.

At the burial of his old friend Magnus Tait, Jimmy Perez watches the flood of mud and water smash through a house in its path. Everyone thinks the home is uninhabited, but in the wreckage he finds the body of a dark-haired woman wearing a red silk dress. Perez soon becomes obsessed with tracing her identity and realizes he must find out who she was and how she died.

This sounded like a book I would enjoy so I sent for it.... and I did enjoy it! I am not sure that I've read many murder mysteries by women, but it seems that Ann Cleeves is quite prolific about this!  I found out she has several books at Shetland with Jimmy Perez and several more books of another series. I do think I will try another from this series at some time or another!

You might want to check her out on Amazon and see if she's written anything that might interest you!

The Magpie Murders

The Magpie Murders by M.Z. Gaston.

Paperback: 324 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform(January 8, 2015)
ISBN-10: 1505918960



Amazon Review

In the small town of Branfield, Georgia, the residents are shocked by a heinous, unspeakable crime against a mute, bedridden patient at the local medical center. The only person who might hold the key to the identity of her assailant has Alzheimer's, and her life is a tangled web of secrets and mystery. It becomes the job of the "outsider" and new sheriff, Al Thompkins, a man haunted his own memories of personal guilt and tragedy, to unravel the terrible knowledge of the past buried deep inside the lives of two generations of families. Along the way he discovers the price paid for that knowledge, and the dangerous lengths the enemy will pursue to keep him from learning the truth about the crimes.

I enjoyed this book.  It reads fast, and I enjoyed how the author put the mystery together. 

You learn about the character of Al Thompkins throughout the entire book, so by the end you feel you know him well.

The story takes place in Georgia, which is "different" for me . I generally like the books to take place in England, Scotland or Ireland, during the 1800's. But, like I said.. this is well written and was an enjoyable read. I believe he has a second book using the same character, which I will have to check out! 

 

 

 

A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.

Paperback: 337 pages
Publisher: Washington Square Press;(May 5, 2015)
ISBN-10: 1476738025





Amazon Review

Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him “the bitter neighbor from hell.” But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?


Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.


A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, Fredrik Backman’s novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others. “If there was an award for ‘Most Charming Book of the Year,’ this first novel by a Swedish blogger-turned-overnight-sensation would win hands down” (Booklist, starred review).



Fredrik Backman is a fantastic writer. And, I would have had this finished a while ago but I had company for a week

I loved "My Grandmother told me to Say She's Sorry" and "Britt Marie Was Here".  This one still had plenty of humor... excellent characters as well as excellent writing.... but it was a bit sadder along with the humor.  It's a very thoughtful book, along with his others.  It's definitely a different sort of story.  I find his books really good for a "change" from the normal.

Reading any of them.  ... when you need a change.

 

 

 

 

Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit

Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit by Chris Matthews.
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster;October 31, 2017)
ISBN-10: 1501111868

Amazon Review
With his bestselling biography Jack Kennedy, Chris Matthews shared a new look of one of America’s most beloved Presidents and the patriotic spirit that defined him. Now, with Bobby Kennedy, Matthews returns with a gripping, in-depth, behind-the-scenes portrait of one of the great figures of the American twentieth century.

Overlooked by his father, and overshadowed by his war-hero brother, Bobby Kennedy was the perpetual underdog. When he had the chance to become a naval officer like Jack, Bobby turned it down, choosing instead to join the Navy as a common sailor. It was a life changing experience that led him to connect with voters from all walks of life: young or old, black or white, rich or poor. They were the people who turned out for him in his 1968 campaign. RFK would prove himself to be the rarest of politicians—both a pragmatist who knew how to get the job done and an unwavering idealist who could inspire millions.

Drawing on extensive research and interviews, Matthews pulls back the curtain on the public and private worlds of Robert Francis Kennedy. He shines a light on all the important moments of his life, from his early years and his start in politics to his crucial role as attorney general in his brother’s administration and his tragic run for president. This definitive book brings Bobby Kennedy to life like never before and is destined to become a political classic.



 
All I can say is:  I loved JFK and I thought I loved Bobby.  After reading this book....
I KNOW I love Bobby.
The book is not a biography where it is a "tell all" book about his personal life.. But rather about his public life.  Much in this book, I did not know.  I was broken hearted when he was assassinated.. but until now I didn't realize just how much.
For me, this was a great book.  If he is on your list of people you admired... it is a must read.