Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman

Here Be Dragons My Rating: 4.9

Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England's ruthless, power-hungry King John. Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce by marrying the English king's beloved illegitimate daughter, Joanna, who slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband. But as John's attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales---and Llewelyn---Joanna must decide where her love and loyalties truly lie.

The turbulent clashes of two disparate worlds and the destinies of the individuals caught between them spring to life in this magnificent novel of power and passion, loyalty and lies. The book that began the trilogy that includes Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning, Here Be Dragons brings thirteenth-century England, France, and Wales to tangled, tempestuous life.

Despite the title, this is not fantasy - it is exceptional historical fiction. While the story is filled with battles and political conflicts, the real strength of the novel lies in its characters. They are so richly developed and compelling that I found myself staying up far too late reading because I simply had to know what happened next.

Sharon Kay Penman brings history to life in a way that feels both epic and deeply personal. By the time I turned the final page, I was completely invested in these characters and their world. I am thrilled that this is a trilogy because I cannot wait to continue the journey in the next book.

A definite recommendation and an easy addition to my "Best Of" list.

The Good People by Hannah Kent

The Good People My Rating: 4.6

Three women, drawn together to rescue a child from a superstitious community.

Nóra has lost her daughter and her husband in the same year, find herself alone and is now burdened with the care of her four-year-old grandson, Micheál. The boy cannot walk, or speak, and Nora, mistrustful of the tongues of gossips, has kept the child hidden from those who might see in his deformity evidence of otherworldly interference. 

A handmaid, Mary, arrives to help Nora just as rumors begin to spread that Micheal is a changeling child who is bringing bad luck to the valley. 

Determined to banish evil, Nora and Mary enlist the help of Nance, an elderly wanderer who understands the magic of the old ways.

This was based on true events in nineteenth century Ireland. This is a slow build and worth every minute. It is hard to believe that this is only Kent's second novel. The writing is rich and leads you into the world of superstition. I want to read her first novel which was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and the Guardian First Book Award. It won the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year, the Indie Awards Debut Fiction Book of the Year and the Victorian Premier's People's Choice Award, and was shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Definitely recommend the audio version.

The Lost Man by Jane Harper

The Lost Man My Rating: 4.4

Set in the brutal, isolated Australian outback, the story begins when two brothers discover the body of their middle brother near a lonely stockman’s grave. The circumstances make no sense. He should never have been where he was found. As the family searches for answers, old resentments, buried secrets, and emotional wounds begin to surface.

The Australian setting plays a huge role in the story. The endless heat, the isolation, and the unforgiving landscape create a quiet intensity that stays with you the entire time. It feels immersive without being overly descriptive or heavy.

This is not a fast-paced thriller filled with nonstop action. It is thoughtful, layered, and emotionally intelligent. The mystery matters, but so do the complicated relationships, the weight of family history, and the loneliness that can exist even among people who know each other well.

If you enjoy mysteries that are atmospheric, character-driven, and genuinely absorbing, The Lost Man is absolutely worth adding to your list. I enjoyed the audio with the Australian accents.

The Last Train To London by Meg Waite Clayton

My Rating: 4.7

In 1936, the Nazis are little more than loud, brutish bores to fifteen-year-old Stephan Neuman, the son of a wealthy and influential Jewish family and an aspiring playwright whose playground stretches from the streets of Vienna to its intricate underground tunnels. Stephan’s closest companion is the brilliant Žofie-Helene, a Christian girl whose mother edits a progressive, anti-Nazi newspaper. But the carefree innocence of their adolescence is shattered when the Nazis seize control.

Based on the remarkable true story of Truus Wijsmuller, a member of the Dutch resistance, this novel follows one woman who risks her life smuggling Jewish children out of Nazi Germany to the few nations willing to take them in. Her mission becomes even more dangerous after the Anschluss—Hitler’s annexation of Austria—as countries across Europe begin closing their borders to the growing number of desperate refugees seeking escape.

Known as Tante Truus, she is determined to save as many children as possible. After Britain passes a measure allowing at-risk child refugees from the German Reich to enter the country, she boldly approaches Adolf Eichmann—the man who would later help devise the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question”—in a suspenseful race against time. Her efforts may be the only hope for children like Stephan, his younger brother Walter, and Žofie-Helene as they embark on a perilous journey toward an uncertain future.

It took me a little while to fully settle into this story, but once I did, it completely drew me in. The novel centers on the heartbreaking decisions parents faced as they sent their children away on The Kinder Transport, in hopes of saving their lives. The vast majority of these parents never saw their children again. Told primarily through the perspectives of the children, along with Tante Truus herself, the story captures both the horror of the time and the extraordinary courage of those determined to survive and help others.