MAY 2024 READING LIST
As May began I found many opportunities to read. Between ballet lessons, soccer practices and baseball games I found ample time to catch up on reading or listen to a book. I confess I am still greatly enjoying the Gaslight Mysteries even though I had previously omitted the series from my reading list. With a fun early summer getaway to the Dominican Republic, I took a delightful summer read written by a local author. It was the first time I had finished a book while traveling! I also completed a historical fiction series about the Plantagenet Dynasty.
Here are the books I read or listened to in May:
MURDER ON GRAMERCY PARK BY VICTORIA THOMPSON
I listened to this book through Libby. A continuation of the Gaslight Mystery series, Sarah Brandt still finds herself mixed up with Frank Malloy and another murder investigation. This story starts with the death of a healer but soon secrets about the Good Doctor come to light.
I like how Thompson creates a labyrinth with her mystery. The story kept me guessing and I enjoyed building the character backstories and the back-and-forth narration between the two main characters.
4.25/5 Stars
THE STILL POINT BY TAMMY GREENWOOD
I visited a local library to hear Greenwood speak about her book and ask questions about her writing process. It was wonderful to hear from a local author to learn from someone many books into the process of writing and publishing. The book was inspired by Greenwood’s world as a ballet mom although not based on a true story.
The story takes place in Southern California and follows teenage ballet dancers who are competing for a premier scholarship at none other than the most famous studio in Paris. The competition is heated and the lengths the dancers (and the moms) take to win are fervent. Each chapter was in the voice and point of view of a different main character. In this way, it was easy to follow the shifts in perspective and the use of multiple characters added depth to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book as it showed depth of character and provided a peak into the world of ballerinas. Some things came across as predictable—the competitiveness of the studio, the care for physique and the potential for a role of a lifetime. There was great character development with thrilling cliffhangers. I also like the Southern California backdrop as the setting for the book. Living in the area myself made the setting more relatable and believable. I highly recommend this book and suggest it as a wonderful summer read.
4.5/5 Stars
MURDER ON WASHINGTON SQUARE VICTORIA THOMPSON
I listened to this book through Libby. Book four in the Gaslight Mystery series. Sarah Brandt inserts herself into a situation that leads to another dead body. Frank Malloy is upset that Sarah is, again, showing up at his crime scene. What follows is seduction, disguises and a new love interest.
This was my favorite book of the series so far! Besides the mystery behind the death of the seductress, there was excellent pacing, character tension and a good cliffhanger. The ebb and flow of the story worked well and I felt a sense of satisfaction as the story came to a close while simultaneously wanting to know what happened next. I tend to enjoy books (and movies) that have a good balance of tension-filled struggles and satisfying conclusions. This book had both.
5/5 Stars
MURDER ON MULBERRY BEND BY VICTORIA THOMPSON
I listened to this book through Libby. This is book five in the Gaslight Mystery series. Frank Malloy shows up at a crime scene to find Sarah Brandt dead, only to find out that Sarah had donated some clothing a mission for young girls. What follows is an investigation into the charity organization and the misgivings that something does not seem right.
After the previous book, I had high hopes for this book. It was okay. This book was a little more predictable. I did like the angle of Sarah Brandt and her two love interests. It made the tension between her and Malloy even more magnetic. There were many ups and downs with the mystery and although it became more apparent who the killer was toward the end, the conclusion was still a surprise.
4/5 Stars
MURDER ON MARBLE ROW BY VICTORIA THOMPSON
I listened to this book through Libby. This is book six in the Gaslight Mystery series. An industrialist is blown up and many believe anarchists are behind it. Frank Malloy is glad Sarah Brandt is not involved and hopes they never work together again. Then Sarah is summoned by the widow to take care of her spinster daughter. Sarah soon learns of the daughter’s hidden pregnancy and finds herself back in Malloy’s life.
Did I state how I like tension? It bothers me when writers for books or films are shallow with their story arcs and do not cause main characters to struggle. This is why I am a Pixar fan. The writers do an amazing job taking a fish out of the water and then throwing a ton of rocks at it. For Marble Row, the book was another example of Malloy being thrust in the world of the upper class. He is out of place and Brandt becomes his liaison to the world of the wealthy. Similarly, Sarah steps in to the world of agitated workers and the politics of the city which fall far outside her normal element. To top it all off, there is the building and strengthening of the relationship between Malloy and Brandt.
The story was one of the more intricate mysteries so far in the series. This book was not predictable and had me guessing until the very end.
4.5/5 Stars
A KING’S RANSOM BY SHARON KAY PENMAN
I read a paper copy of this book from the library, the fifth in the series about the Plantagenet Dynasty. Penman’s books are dense historical fiction. They are not for the casual or summer reader. She weaves together fiction and non-fiction history in a most satisfying way. Similar to Peter K. Massie with is biographical books on the royalty of Russia, Penman brings Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and all their vibrant children to life. In this final book of the series, the book explores the world during the imprisonment of Richard the Lionheart in Austria and the consequences of his capture to those in England and Aquitaine.
After struggling with the fourth book in the series, I was prepared for another grueling pace. The release of the king and his work to regain his throne from his scheming younger brother and greedy lords lent itself to better reading than the battles in the fourth installment. I greatly enjoyed the narration of history and how Penman makes me feel like I am in the scene watching everything happen. I find the balance of fiction writing that reads like real life or non-fiction that reads as good a novel hitting the right balance. Having an author who blends history and her own inclusions that round out the story is wonderfully satisfying.
4.25/5 Stars
