Sunday, January 18, 2009

Among the mad by Jacqueline Winspear

My friend, Sharon Larson, lent me the ARC of the newest Maisie Dobbs book and I am so glad that she did. Each book makes Maisie a little more real to me and I ache for Billy Beale, her assistant, and his family. The medical problems they are facing brings to mind the current medical reality of needing to have someone with medical knowledge and connections as a family member or friend in order to get the proper care you or your loved one needs.
Maisie and Billy are preparing to wrap up their work and get to their families on Christmas Eve day, when Maisie attempts to go to the aid of a former soldier sitting on the pavement. She doesn't make. He blows himself up as she's reaching out for him.
The next day, a letter is sent to the prime minister threatening more deaths if the writer's demands aren't met. He mentions Maisie by name. This leads to her being tossed into the thick of things with Detective Chief Superintenden Robert MacFarlane of Scotland Yard's Special Branch as a consultant. She will come up against the nasty Gerald Urquhart of Military Intelligence and suffer with her friend, Pricilla, as she tries to re-adjust to life in England. This is when I started having trouble. It is 1932 and Pricilla has lost her brothers to the war and her parents to the flu. I know what is coming in several years time and I'm afraid for her boys and those of Billy's. Maisie successfully find the person behind the threat and get him to stop? We all know that she will - it's the getting there that is important.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Messenger by Jan Burke

I've never read one of Jan Burke's Irene Kelly mysteries but the review of this book was what made me put a hold on it before the library received it. It read like a best seller, which is not something I'm into, but, it kept my interest so I read it in a day. That speaks very well for this novel.
We are introduced to Tyler Hawthorne and Amanda Clarke when they meet at the bedside of their mutual friend, Ron. Amanda is immediately angry with Tyler because he had told Ron that his cancer was going into remission and she didn't want someone handing her friend false hope. As Tyler had just come from the bedside of a dying person he wasn't at his strongest or best. Tyler talks to dying people. He listens to their final thoughts and passes on information to the ones being left behind. Once they're dead, he doesn't hear them - but Amanda sees them! Well, actually, it's only her parents and aunt and uncle that she sees but doesn't hear. Eventually, Tyler will have to explain to her that he was given the gift of a momento mori ring in his bargain for his life. He also got a large black dog, a cemetary dog, to guard him and ease his fever and pain after he listens to the dead. Now the creep who gave him this gift, wants it all back. Trouble is Tyler discovered how evil the man was and remains in death. Now he has to protect Amanda and Ron. Lots more to this but you'll have to read it for yourself!