Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

Dissolution My Rating: 4.4

It is 1537, a time of enormous upheaval in England. Henry VIII has proclaimed himself Supreme Head of the Church of England, and Thomas Cromwell has sent commissioners throughout the country to investigate the monasteries, setting the stage for their dissolution.

At the monastery of Scarnsea on the Sussex coast, however, something has gone terribly wrong. Cromwell’s commissioner, Robin Singleton, has been brutally murdered—his head severed from his body—and the killing is accompanied by a series of disturbing acts of sacrilege.

Enter Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer and longtime supporter of Reform, who is sent by Cromwell to investigate the murder. What begins as a straightforward assignment soon becomes something far more complicated, forcing Shardlake to question not only what he is being told, but some of his own deeply held beliefs.

I thought this was such a unique premise. The story is set against the very real dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell, but Sansom weaves a fictional murder mystery into that fascinating period of Tudor history. Matthew Shardlake’s investigation gives us a way into this world that feels both intimate and suspenseful, while the historical events unfolding around him give the story real weight. A great way to get a history lesson while enjoying a good murder mystery. 

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Mad Mabel My Rating: 4.6

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old and has lived on idyllic Kenny Lane for sixty years—longer than anyone else. She’s a curmudgeon who makes it her business to know everyone else’s business, but few would ever suspect just how much Elsie has worked to keep her own past hidden.

Because when it comes to murder, no one suspects little girls or old ladies.

And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick has been both.

Throughout Elsie’s life, people around her have had a strange habit of coming to a foul end. Now, when a talkative, curious, and very nosy little girl moves into the neighborhood and becomes determined to befriend Elsie, the carefully constructed life Elsie has built begins to unravel.

Who was “Mad Mabel” fifty years ago? Who is Elsie Fitzpatrick today? And if the past has a way of repeating itself, who has the most to lose?

Normally, I hate when a book drags out the “what really happened?” mystery until the very end. It can start to feel like the author is deliberately withholding information just to keep you reading.

But Mad Mabel somehow made it work for me.

I think the difference was that I was genuinely immersed in Elsie’s story. I wasn’t simply reading to get to the big reveal—I wanted to keep spending time in this strange little world and find out more about Elsie herself.

She’s certainly not your typical lovable elderly protagonist, which made her all the more interesting. The story kept giving me just enough along the way that I never felt impatient with it, and by the time everything began coming together, I was completely invested.

This was clever, dark, entertaining, and just unusual enough to stand out from the typical mystery/thriller.

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro

Signal Fires My Rating: 4.5

An ancient oak stands beneath the stars on Division Street. Beneath it sit Ben Wilf, a retired doctor, and ten-year-old Waldo Shenkman, a brilliant and lonely boy pointing out his favorite constellations. Waldo doesn’t realize that he and Ben have met before—or that their lives will cross again and again in ways neither could have imagined.

Division Street is a place filled with secrets. An impulsive lie following a tragic childhood event becomes a secret that will haunt the Wilf family for decades. Years later, the Shenkmans move into the neighborhood carrying secrets of their own.

Spanning fifty years, Signal Fires follows these two families as their lives intersect across generations. It’s a story about family, memory, guilt, love, and the way a single moment can continue to shape our lives long after it has passed.

There was one brief scene in this book that I found extremely disturbing and uncomfortable, and I really wish it had been left out. Thankfully, it was short, but it did affect my overall experience with the book.

Other than that, I really enjoyed Signal Fires.

What stood out most to me were the characters. They felt wonderfully real, particularly the male characters, who seemed to come completely alive on the page. There is so much love in this story, but it isn't sentimental or overly sweet. It's complicated, imperfect, and very human.

I especially loved the way the novel explores how something that happens to us in childhood can follow us for decades, quietly influencing who we become and the choices we make. She also does a wonderful job of blending the timelines where everything feels similar even as you realize it is different. 

This is a thoughtful, moving story about the connections between people and the lasting echoes of the past. Despite that one scene, the characters and emotional depth made this a memorable read for me..

Plum Island by Nelson DeMille

Plum Island My Rating: 4.4

Wounded in the line of duty, NYPD homicide detective John Corey is recuperating in the quiet Long Island town of Southold when a young couple he knows is found murdered on their patio, each shot in the head. The local police chief asks Corey to lend his big-city expertise to the investigation, and what begins as a seemingly straightforward murder case soon leads him into the history, legends, and secrets of Long Island.

Along the way, Corey meets Detective Beth Penrose and Mayflower descendant Emma Whitestone, two women who become entangled in both the investigation and his life.

We listened to Plum Island in the car during our commute between homes, and it definitely kept us entertained. That said, it felt fairly formulaic, and I think we listened to it a little too soon after another Nelson DeMille novel. There were a lot of similarities, and at times it felt like we were listening to variations on the same characters and situations.

Still, DeMille knows how to keep a story moving, and John Corey is entertaining enough that we enjoyed the ride. Despite the sense of déjà vu, this was a solid listen, and we’ll definitely be reading more Nelson DeMille in the future.

Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

Speed of Dark My Rating: 4.0

In the near future, disease has largely become a thing of the past. Most genetic defects are corrected at birth, with the remaining ones treated during infancy.

Lou Arrendale, a high-functioning autistic adult, is part of a lost generation—born just a little too early to benefit from these medical advances. He lives a quiet, independent life until he is offered the chance to undergo a brand-new experimental treatment that could essentially “cure” his autism.

With the treatment, Lou could think and act and be more like everyone else. But if he were suddenly free of autism, would he still be himself? Would he still love classical music and the complicated patterns and resolutions he finds in it? Would he still see the colors and patterns in the world that others don't? And would he still feel the same way about Marjory, a woman who may never return his feelings?

Lou has to decide whether changing the way his mind works would also change the very essence of who he is.

This was such a unique book. You really feel as though you're inside Lou's mind and begin to understand the way he sees the world - the patterns he notices, the strange phrases people use, and how frustrating it can be when people don't simply say what they mean.

I loved that aspect of the book, as well as the larger question at the heart of the story: If you change something fundamental about the way a person experiences the world, do you also change who that person is? There was something very thought-provoking about appreciating these characters exactly as they were while also understanding why the possibility of treatment might be tempting.

That said, there were fairly large sections that dragged for me. At times, the book spent far too long analyzing or explaining something, and I found myself skimming.

Even with those slower sections, I gave Speed of Dark 4 stars. It's unusual, thought-provoking, and unlike anything else I've read. If the premise intrigues you, I definitely think it's worth reading.

Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray

Dissection of a Murder  My Rating: 3.5

When Leila Reynolds is handed her first murder case, she’s shocked by the victim: a well-known and highly respected judge whose death has sent shockwaves through the legal community. She’s also incredulous—she’s nowhere near experienced enough to handle such a high-profile case. But the defendant is insistent: he wants Leila, and only Leila, to represent him.

Except he’s refusing to talk.

And if that wasn’t complicated enough, Leila soon learns that the prosecutor she’ll be facing is the most ruthless one she’s ever known: her husband.

It’s an impossible situation, yet Leila is determined to sway the jury—until she’s blindsided by a shadowy figure from her past. Suddenly, she’s fighting not only for her client and her marriage, but to keep her own secrets buried. And if she has to rewrite the rules to win, so be it.

With unlikable characters and unreliable narrators, Dissection of a Murder leaves you questioning what exactly you just witnessed—and whether the truth was ever really there to uncover in the first place.

This wasn’t bad, but it just didn’t quite work for me. I seem to be in the minority, though, so if it sounds intriguing to you, check it out. Just don’t read any spoilers before you do!

The Queen's Game by Raymond Wemmlinger

The Queen's Game My Rating: 4.8

England, 1565

Queen Elizabeth Tudor is wary of the Grey cousins. Ever since the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey nearly wrested the throne from her family, Elizabeth has been determined to ensure that the fate of England does not fall into Grey hands.

She has banished Catherine Grey from court, along with her two children, but Catherine’s unmarried sister, Mary, remains at Whitehall Palace as one of Elizabeth’s courtiers. Mary has ambitions for her family and realizes she may be the only one who can continue the Grey bloodline, since Catherine’s marriage has been declared illegitimate. Worried that her scoliosis may make pregnancy difficult, Mary does not want to waste any time and begins searching for a suitable husband at court.

Meanwhile, she discovers that her cousin, Lord Darnley, is scheming to marry the widowed Mary, Queen of Scots. If the marriage goes ahead, Darnley’s child could have a strong claim to the English throne, making Mary Grey even more determined to produce an heir of her own. As the battle for succession intensifies, will Mary see the Grey family name rise to victory, or tumble into obscurity?

I’m really glad I read Philippa Gregory’s series first. Even though Wemmlinger’s books focus on more minor historical figures, I was already familiar with so many of the people and events surrounding them, details that aren’t explored as fully in this series. Having that background made the stories feel much richer to me.

I really enjoyed this five-book series. The books were very readable, and more importantly, the series stayed consistently good from beginning to end.

The Queen's Children by Raymond Wemmlinger

The Queen's Children My Rating: 4.8

Anne of Denmark, Queen of England, gives birth to her daughter Mary, her first child since coming to England in 1603, when her husband James succeeded to the English throne.

Although they would have preferred a son, both parents are pleased that the child is healthy, and their courtiers are thrilled by the birth of the first royal child on English soil in nearly seventy years.

The Scottish royal family has been welcomed by the English, and the reign has begun well, despite continuing tensions between Catholics and Protestants.

Anne enjoys the opportunities England gives her to pursue her artistic interests, but she often feels inferior to James and finds fulfillment in raising her four children, particularly her eldest son, Henry.

She is determined to arrange an engagement between Henry and the Spanish infanta. But with anti-Catholic sentiment on the rise, it may not be the wisest match.

Anne becomes pregnant again, but almost immediately the happy news is overshadowed by the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot—a conspiracy aimed at the near-total destruction of the royal family.

Wow, does this family go through a lot! I really felt for all of them, and even when I didn't agree with their plotting and choices, I could understand the motives behind them. Queen Anne was very tough!

I definitely recommend this series. I love how much history these books pack in while still being quick, absorbing reads. I'm off to the next book—the fifth and final one in the series!

The Queen's Cousin by Raymond Wemmlinger

The Queen's Cousin My Rating: 4.8

Scotland, 1594

Nineteen-year-old Anne of Denmark, Queen of Scotland, is thrilled and triumphant at the birth of a healthy baby boy, destined to reign as King of Scotland and, possibly, England.

But Anne’s enjoyment of maternal glory quickly fades as her husband, King James, fearing his son will be politically manipulated against him as he was against his mother, the deceased Mary Queen of Scots, removes the child permanently from her care.

Outraged, Anne tries to regain control of her son, initiating a bitter marital struggle that sours what had been a loving and harmonious marriage.

Anne is haunted by the giant legacies of Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor on the thrones of Scotland and England, and she is determined to make her own mark.

Central to that ambition is securing the succession to the English throne from her husband’s cousin, the elderly and childless Queen Elizabeth.

I love how these books bring lesser-known people and events in history to life. I had no idea that Anne went to battle against James over their son Henry, or how the crowns of Scotland and England eventually came together. So interesting!

I also love how readable the writing is and that the books are relatively short while still giving me so much fascinating history. I’m diving right into the next one!

Dark Canyon by Louis L'Amour

Dark Canyon My Rating: 4.7

Dark Canyon follows Gaylord Riley, a former outlaw who leaves the Coburn gang behind to build an honest life. After establishing a ranch and falling in love with Marie Shattuck, his dreams are threatened when he is falsely accused of cattle rustling and murder. As a lynch mob closes in, Riley's former gang rides back to help, forcing them to outwit both the law and those determined to see Riley hanged.

If you enjoy Westerns and haven't discovered Louis L'Amour yet, you're in for a treat. Dark Canyon has everything that makes his novels so enjoyable - fast-paced action, memorable characters, and a strong story of loyalty, redemption, and courage. It was an entertaining read from beginning to end.

The Queen's Favorite by Raymond Wemmlinger

The Queen's Favorite My Rating: 4.9

England, 1558

Sixteen-year-old Catherine Seymour has always idolized her elder sister, Jane. Groomed from childhood to be a queen and marry her cousin, King Edward VI, Jane has remained determined to restore her family’s claim to the throne following her father's death death.

After spending time at Queen Mary’s court, Jane returns home to Hanworth Park, much to the delight of Catherine and their brother, Ned. To their surprise, Jane brings with her Lady Catherine Grey, sister of Jane Grey, the ill-fated nine-day queen, and an heiress to the throne after Princess Elizabeth.

Jane confides in Catherine that she hopes to arrange a betrothal between Lady Grey and Ned, giving their brother—and his future children—a chance to lay claim to the throne.

But everything changes when Queen Mary suddenly dies and Elizabeth succeeds her as queen. Now the sisters must seek the favor of a new monarch.

I really enjoyed The Queen’s Favorite. I felt for so many of the characters, but especially Catherine Seymour. There is so much plotting and maneuvering as the family tries to control its fate in a world where one wrong move can change everything.

This was very well done and such a quick, engaging read. I’m jumping straight into the next book in this five-book series!

Good People by Patmeena Sabit

Good People My Rating: 4.4

The Sharaf family is the picture of success—prosperous, wealthy, and admired. They arrived in America as refugees with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and through years of hard work built an enviable life in an exclusive neighborhood, with their children attending prestigious schools. Zorah, the eldest daughter, is especially cherished by her father.

When an unthinkable tragedy strikes, the family's carefully crafted image begins to unravel. Rumors spread that behind closed doors, the Sharafs' seemingly perfect life was anything but. Did they truly achieve the American dream, or was their reputation built on a carefully maintained façade?

Good People is told in the style of a true crime documentary, with friends, family members, and others recounting events through a series of interviews. It's a unique storytelling approach that kept me turning the pages, although I felt there wasn't quite enough substance to fully support the format.

I'm very familiar with Afghan culture and grew up in a different but somewhat similar environment, so that aspect of the story wasn't especially new to me. Readers who aren't familiar with the culture will likely find those elements much more compelling. What the book captured exceptionally well was how quickly gossip and the media can convict people without evidence, and how eager communities can be to speculate and judge. Ironically, that constant uncertainty was what kept me reading to the end. Shout-out to shoegaljeana on Instagram for putting this on my radar. 

The Queen's Rival by Raymond Wemm;inger

The Queen's Rival My Rating: 4.7

Lady Margaret Clifford is seventh in line to the English throne, so she expects her marriage to be a matter of great political importance. At just sixteen, she is stunned when her father considers a proposal from Sir Andrew Dudley, a mere knight.

As the powerful Dudley family maneuvers to strengthen its influence, Margaret finds herself caught in the dangerous politics surrounding the young King Edward VI. With Edward failing to produce an heir, the Dudleys place Lady Jane Grey on the throne in a bold attempt to secure their power.

When Edward dies, however, everything changes. Lady Jane's brief reign comes to a tragic end, Queen Mary claims the throne, and Margaret is sent to court as one of the queen's ladies-in-waiting. Although the Dudleys quickly fall from favor, Margaret still hopes to make a marriage worthy of her royal blood. First, though, she must earn the trust of a queen who sees rivals everywhere.

I enjoyed The Queen's Rival, but I was especially glad I had already read Philippa Gregory's Tudor novels. While Wimminger tells the story from a different perspective, I felt he moved through many major historical events fairly quickly. Because I already knew the broader history surrounding Lady Jane Grey, Queen Mary, and the political struggles of the period, I found this novel much richer than I think I would have otherwise.

If this had been my introduction to these events, I would have wanted more depth and detail. Instead, the book offers a lighter, faster-paced take on Tudor history. It reads more like a historical novel set during the period than a deeply immersive historical fiction. For readers who enjoy Tudor history but prefer a quicker, more accessible read than Philippa Gregory's novels, this is an enjoyable choice. I will definitely continue on with this series.

The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig

The Whistling Season My Rating: 4.8

Set in rural Montana in 1909, The Whistling Season begins when widower Oliver Milliron answers a newspaper ad from Rose Llewellyn, a cheerful housekeeper who arrives with her brilliant, unconventional brother, Morris Morgan. When the local schoolteacher unexpectedly leaves, Morris steps in, bringing lessons that extend far beyond the classroom and forever change the lives of Oliver, his sons, and the children of the small farming community.

I started this as an audiobook, but the narration made it feel overly syrupy sweet, and I almost DNF'd it. Thankfully, I switched to the Kindle version and decided to give it another chance. I'm so glad I did—it turned out to be a wonderful, heartwarming story with memorable characters and plenty of wisdom. I highly recommend this book, but I'd skip the audiobook and read it instead. I will be interested to hear what my book club thinks of this when we meet next week.

The Levee by William Kent Kreuger

The Levee  My Rating: 4.0

Set during the catastrophic Mississippi River flood of 1927, The Levee follows four men in a small rowboat as they attempt to rescue a family stranded behind a massive circular levee. Three of the men are convicts temporarily released from prison to help with rescue efforts, while their leader has motives of his own. When they reach the family estate, they discover that not everyone wants to leave, and as the floodwaters continue to rise, secrets, pride, greed, and loyalty complicate every decision.

I enjoyed this unique storyline, which read more like a murder mystery than a historical novel. The suspense kept me engaged, and I especially enjoyed listening to the audiobook. While it wasn't a favorite, it was an entertaining and worthwhile read.