The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark

Read while home alone? probably

Tissues needed? nope

Overall rating: 3.5 stars

Summary:

Professor and archaeologist Jonathan Lyons may have found the only letter written by Christ. And he may have been killed for it. Suspicion for his murder falls most heavily on his wife Kathleen who has advanced Alzheimer’s, but daughter Mariah and friends Alvirah and Willy Meehan are out to prove Kathleen’s innocence. What dangers await them?

Reaction:

Mary Higgins Clark is a masterful storyteller and I love how she introduces myriad characters who eventually intertwine themselves into the narrative. I’ve read most (all?) of her books, so I’ve become pretty adept at predicting the outcome, but I still look forward to her newest release. The Lost Years was a quick, enjoyable book, but unless you’re already a Mary Higgins Clark fan it isn’t the book I’d read first.

A letter written by Christ would be an amazing archeological find; what artifact do you think would be the most incredible? 

Do you often solve the mystery before the characters? Does that make the book more or less enjoyable for you? 

The Sixes by Kate White

Read while home alone? mostly yes, but some parts might 

                                   require another human's presence!

Tissues needed? nope

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Summary:

Celebrity gossip author Phoebe Hall experienced some personal and professional calamities and is taking time out of the high profile scene to teach at a small Pennsylvania college. Unfortunately she chases trouble there as she seeks to find out about The Sixes, a secret society of female students who are creating havoc on campus. Some students have been murdered and Phoebe is determined to discover if The Sixes have gone too far or if there is a serial killer at work. Will Phoebe find the truth before she becomes the next target?

Reaction:

This was a great book! It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book I couldn’t put down until I finished, but also didn’t want it to end. I liked that there were several characters who mixed things up and were potential suspects. I kept thinking I knew “whodunit,” but then something new happened that made me think someone else was involved—great suspenseful writing! There was some delving into Phoebe’s past that was an interesting side story and added a little extra to the main plot. The one thing that kept me from giving The Sixes a full 5 stars was closure. The characters I thought were guilty didn’t quite explain their odd behaviors at the end. Not a serious problem for me, but I would have enjoyed just a little more finality. I’ve already requested a few other books by Kate White at the library, and I hope they’re just as well written!

What’s the last book you LOVED? 

Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear

Read while home alone? yes           

Tissues needed? probably not

Overall rating: 5 stars

Summary:

Elegy for Eddie is the 9^th installment of the Maisie Dobbs series. Maisie, investigator and psychologist, grew up poor in early 20^th century London. A group of workers she knew growing up approach Maisie to investigate the death of Eddie, a young man who was a little older than Maisie, but from the same neighborhood. The truth of Eddie’s demise takes Maisie down some unexpected roads and is ultimately a bit unsatisfying. Elegy for Eddie also gives some insight into Maisie’s own identity and love life.

Reaction:

I love this series! Jacqueline Winspear’s books are well-written mysteries that sometimes include rather heinous acts, but they’re shared in such a “proper” way that the discoveries are the highlight rather than the gore. I especially enjoyed this book because Maisie had some self-doubts that made me like her even more; in previous books I’ve seen her as lovingly perfect. Maisie is dating the son of her former employer, and their story was woven into the bigger story well enough that it didn’t seem like an added bit of romance just to make things interesting. The conclusion was also clever—of course Maisie solved the crime and wraps things up, but the story doesn’t end all neat and tidy. That’s usually a problem for me, but I didn’t mind it in this case. All in all, a book I highly recommend!

**If you haven’t read this series, it might be nice to start with the first book: Maisie Dobbs.

Discussion Questions:

• Maisie was told by a few people to be careful with her generosity since no one likes to be beholden to someone else. What do you think about that?
• How true-to-life do you think the portrayal of Churchill and other characters was? Do you think there were people in England preparing in the ways mentioned in the book?
• Many in his neighborhood looked after Eddie throughout his life. Do you know of similar situations?