It's that time again, when I provide a quickie overview of the books I read recently but didn't find time to post about. They were all great and deserve to be remembered, recommended, and maybe even reread.
Code Name Helene, by Ariel Lawhon - I read a few reviews from other bloggers and felt this would be good. WWII, set in Marseille and the Dordogne region of France, French resistance - premise great! To be honest, during the first half I was not sure I would love it--the main character, Nancy, was a bit too perfect (beautiful, brilliant, brave, etc) but I was totally engrossed in the second half and couldn't put it down. Then, I read the afterword and learned that it was based on a real person who did all these extraordinary things.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, by Kim Michele Richardson - this was a audio book for me, and given the amount of dialect, I was glad to listen instead of read. It was another fascinating story--learned about two major things--the WPA's Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and the rare blue-skinned people of which the main character, Cussy Carter, is one of the last. At times, I wished that the story was about one of these fascinating things instead of both as they seemed to compete with each for theme, but still a good book.
The Secret Adversary, by Agatha Christie - last year was the 100th anniversary of the publication of the first Agatha Christie mystery, so I decided to read them all in order. This was the second book and the first featuring Tommy and Tuppence. I hadn't met Tommy Beresford and Prudence (aka Tuppence) Cowley before, but I fell in love with them and look forward to spending more time with them. It was a great mystery with a bit of WWI thrown in, some wonderful red herrings, and a great deal of fun.
All the Devils Are Here, by Louise Penny - the latest in the Armand Gamache series. Mostly set in Paris, which I completely loved, and a first rate story. Actually I think this is one of the best in the series. Much as I like visiting Three Pines, Quebec, visiting Paris with the Gamache family was wonderful. I especially liked the opening scene at the Rodin Museum garden, which was one of my absolutely favorite spots when we visited Paris in 2018.
Read the first two and absolutely agree with you. Code Name Helene went from something that felt predictable to something that just gripped me.
ReplyDeleteSome interesting books.
ReplyDeleteI have been meaning to delve into Agatha Christie myself.
Happy reading in 2021!
WOW, how great Jane that these all were winners. I was looking for a book to buy my SIS, Nancy, so I think I might select Code Name Helene - since the character is a Nancy. Actually all sound good. Our book group will be reading: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, later this year. Hope your January books are just as good.
ReplyDeleteReading all of Christie is quite a project! I've read a lot of her books, but not all. I'm more of a Miss Marple/Poirot fan myself, but her espionage books are fun too.
ReplyDeleteI have The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek sitting in my bedroom just waiting for me to read it. I meant to read it last year, but some how all my plans for 2020 got disarranged.
ReplyDeleteI've wondered about the Code Name Helene book so I'm glad you liked it. I will eventually pick it up. And yeah : I'd like to get to the Rodin Museum ... someday! Will we ever be able to travel again?
ReplyDeleteI have friends who are retiring now and I actually don't envy them. Working is something to do until we can travel again!
DeleteI read a different book based on Nancy called Liberation by Imogen Kealey, which is a pseudonym for Imogen Robertson (who had written some good historical mysteries) and someone else. I really did not like it at all. I decided perhaps I have just read too much WWII and am going to try to avoid that part of the 20th century for a while!
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, I pulled down The Secret Adversary from its shelf on Saturday (I was taking my nephew shopping and thought I'd better keep him entertained, forgetting he would rather stare at his phone). I am giving away some of my Christie (despite being a completist, I just doubt I would ever read a Hercule Poirot book again; they've served their purpose) but not that one!
I am saving the last Penny until I really need cheering up. I am pleased to see you loved it because not everyone did.
I hadn't heard that some readers didn't like the latest Penny. I cannot imagine what they disliked, except there isn't much of Three Pines and the villagers, but it was actually a nice break from the usual fare.
DeleteI'm still engrossed in WWII, mainly because I haven't actually done that much reading around it.