Starter Villain by John Scalzi (2023)

 

Villain (n)  A professional disrupter, not necessarily evil. Services are available by subscription.

I am frequently drawn to a book by its cover and more often than not, the inside cover confirms I want to read it. Villian Starter was one such book. Who wouldn’t want to read about super intelligent cat spies who can talk and dolphins threatening to go on strike? 

Charlie Fitzer's life is going nowhere fast. The former business reporter turned substitute teacher is divorced and living in his deceased father’s house which his siblings want to sell out from under him. All Charlie wants to do is buy the downtown pub and live a quiet life with his cat. Everything changes when his billionaire uncle Jake, last seen when Charlie was five years old, dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. Unfortunately, Charlie also inherits uncle Jake's enemies who now want to kill him.

After his house is blown up, Charlie moves to the volcano lair and is guided in his new life by Mathilda Morrison, his uncle’s right-hand woman, now his. It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against the other supervillains. But first he must attend the mysterious Lombardy Convocation, a consortium of all supervillains. And there are also labor negotiations with the Cetacean Association of the Americas, Chapter One.

The book is very well written and hard to put down. The whole thing is absurd but it’s a vastly entertaining read. I highly recommend it.

4.3 stars on Goodreads, 4.6 on Amazon

The Search by Nora Roberts (2011)

 

When we first meet Fiona Bristow, she is happily living her life on an island off Seattle's coast, where she runs a thriving dog-training school, and has three labs of her own. Fiona also heads up a search and rescue team with the dogs. The reader soon finds Fiona has struggled to find this idyllic life after her escape from the Red Scarf Killer, the serial killer who then killed her K-9 officer fiancé and his four-legged partner.

Fiona’s peaceful existence is interrupted by the arrival of grumpy artist Simon Doyle and his out-of-control puppy, Jaws. Jaws is the glue that brings these two very different people together. Just when all is going well, Fiona finds herself being hunted by a copycat killer, with a possible connection to the Red Scarf Killer. Will she be able to escape this time?

Reviewers either love or hate the Fiona/Simon dynamic, but all agree the dogs steal the show. The Search is one intense read.

4.15 stars on Goodreads, 4.7 on Amazon

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd (2020)

“I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus ben Joseph of Nazareth. I called him Beloved and he, laughing, called me Little Thunder.” 

History offers no conclusive evidence as to the martial status of Jesus.  We do know however, that is was customary for a Jewish man in his early 20s to take a wife. The Book of Longings is the beautifully written reimagined story Jesus and his chosen wife. I loved, loved, loved this book!

Ana is a force to be reckoned with; she is brilliant, ambitious, and has a daring spirit. When the reader first meets her, Ana is 14 and living with her wealthy family in first century Galilee. Ana rebels against the expectations for women of her time and encouraged by her father, she learns to read and write. When Ana’s rebellious nature gets her into trouble, she is recused by an 18-year-old Jesus.

Jesus and Ana marry and live in poverty with his family in Nazareth. Ana has her Aunt Yaltha with her but is not used to poverty and the work required to keep the family alive. The union is a happy one although Jesus is often away from home looking for work. It is after Ana travels with Jesus to meet John the Baptist that Jesus begins his ministry. Ana is left behind as we know Jesus did not have female disciples.

Ana goes back to the family, but circumstances soon force her to flee. She and Yaltha find their way to the Therapeutae in Alexandria, a community of Jewish philosophers living simple lives dedicated to studying and writing. It is here Ana finds her true calling. She leaves Therapeutae briefly when she learns Jesus’ life is in danger and is able to see him before his death.

Grounded in meticulous research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus's life that focuses on His humanity, The Book of Longings blends perfectly with the New Testament stories we know so well. Be sure to read the Author Notes before putting the book down.

4.25 stars on Goodreads, 4.5 on Amazon

The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes (2014)

 

Although I read this book several months ago, I can’t stop thinking about it. This is the story of Sophie Lefevre who lives in occupied France during World War I and Liv Halston in modern day London. The two women are connected by a painting of Sophie done by husband Edouard. The painting is called "The Girl You Left Behind".

While Édouard is fighting at the front the town is occupied by the Germans whom Sophie must serve every evening at her hotel. When the German Kommandant sees Sophie’s portrait he becomes obsessed with Sophie and determined to have both her and the painting for himself.

Fast forward to 2006 and the portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston, a wedding gift from her young husband before his sudden death. After a chance encounter reveals the portrait’s true worth, a battle begins over its troubled history and Liv’s world is turned upside all over again. To whom does the painting truly belong?

3.99 stars on Goodreads, 4.6 on Amazon

Woman Without a Past by Phyllis A. Whitney (1994)

Before the advent of psychological and romantic thrillers, there was the adult suspense novel. And one of the masters of that genre was Phyllis A. Whitney. It was refreshing to read a book that didn’t cover two generations, wasn’t told by the point of view of more than one character, and contained no sex. This story is told by the main character, Molly Hunt, as she reviews events that have already occurred.

Molly Hunt is a mystery writer in Long Island when she learns she was stolen from her aristocratic Southern family as a  baby and sold to her loving adoptive parents.  She also learns that she has an identical twin sister. Eager to meet her twin and learn about this newly discovered past, Molly travels to her family homestead in Charleston and finds herself surrounded by deceit, distrust, and mystery.

Phyllis Whitney wrote 76 books in her 65-year career, including 38 adult suspense novels. See a full list of her titles here.

3.71 stars on Goodreads, 4.4 on Amazon