november roundup: part one
November was a busy month for me. In addition to reading a lot, I also had a baby - between the long hospital stay and nights spent awake with the baby, I found myself reading even more than normal. From long-awaited books by some of my favorite authors to first-time reads, here are all my thoughts on my November roundup, and thank you to NetGalley for providing me with these ARCs to review.
The Flower Sisters
Author: Michelle Collins Anderson
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: 4/23/2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Daisy’s mom has a new boyfriend, which means the teenager is once again having her life uprooted. This time the 15-year-old finds herself dropped off at her Grandma Rose’s home in the tiny town of Possum Falls, where Daisy is sure she will be spending the most boring summer of her life.
However, as Daisy becomes acquainted with her new town, she learns it is not as sleepy as it seems and is full of quite a bit of mystery. From her grandmother’s work in her funeral home where dark secrets are revealed in death to Daisy’s new internship at the local paper, it is not long before she starts to uncover what Possum Falls is hiding underneath its surface.
Things ultimately take a big turn when Daisy becomes intrigued by a dance hall explosion from 50 years earlier. As she begins to interview local characters about what happened that night, long-held secrets start to unravel. Daisy finds herself making new friends – not to mention enemies – as she forces the townspeople to confront what happened that night. In doing so, she also forms an understanding with her grandmother she never would have anticipated.
Told from the alternating perspectives of various characters, The Flower Sisters is an enjoyable read. Both Daisy and her grandmother Rose are feisty and likeable, making it easy to get invested in both the story and their relationship.
For fans of unknown pieces of American history, this book is based on a true tragedy from the author’s hometown in 1928. This makes for an interesting plot line, as the author takes some poetic license to draw conclusions regarding what caused the small dancehall explosion, which killed 39 townspeople. The author does a good job respecting the story and its victims while shedding light on an interesting piece of history.
While most of the plot twists are a bit predictable, the story is intriguing enough to keep the reader engaged. The ending comes across both as a bit cheesy and as though the author was rushing to tie everything up in a pretty bow, but this is an overall enjoyable read for anyone looking to escape for an afternoon.
The Mystery Writer
Author: Sulari Gentill
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: 3/19/2024
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Theodosia (Theo) Benton is at a crossroads in her life. As she is now certain she would rather be a writer than a lawyer, Theo flees school and finds herself on the doorstep of her older brother Gus (and his loyal dog Horse). With his support, she begins life anew, working on her novel at a local coffee shop/bar.
While toiling away, Theo meets elusive writer Dan Murdoch and they begin a mentor/mentee relationship that slowly becomes something more. However, all dreams of a power-writer couple are swept away when Theo discovers Dan’s body; it is clear he has been brutally murdered. As Theo finds herself caught up in whatever led to his death, it becomes evident she never really knew him at all. Will she be able to solve who he really was and what happened to him before she falls victim to the same fate?
The beginning of the book takes its time setting the stage; we learn a fair amount about Theo and her relationship with her brother Gus, but it is not until Dan’s murder that the plot gains momentum. From here, we are introduced to more interesting characters, like the charismatic Mac and his Doomsday Prepper family members. The first 2/3 of the book is intriguing and the author does a great job pulling the reader into the story.
It is near the end of the book where things begin to fall apart. Much like the conspiracy theories implied throughout the novel, holes start to get poked in the storyline and everything goes haywire, leading to an over-the-top and cluttered last section of the book. The subtleties of the first sections give way to action movie insanity and it almost feels like a different book entirely.
Overall, this is a fun read with an original plot and likable characters (even if Theo occasionally does idiotic and groan-inducing things), but the chaotic energy at the end of the novel lets it down.
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels
Author: Janice Hallett
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: 1/23/2024
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Amanda Bailey is hoping to revive her career as a true crime author, and what better way to do so than to cover the Alperton Angels case from 18 years earlier? After all, a lot of questions remain about the cult responsible for brainwashing a teenage girl into believing her baby was the anti-Christ, the most important question being where said baby is now.
Unfortunately for Amanda, her longtime nemesis Oliver Menzies is also covering the case for his own book, and they are going to have to collaborate. As they do their research, they realize the story is a lot more complicated than they originally thought and the deeper they dig the darker the consequences. Both find themselves consumed by their own demons as they do their research.
Like Hallett’s other works, this is an epistolary novel. Through the various emails, text, and documentation the reader is given pieces to the puzzle of the Alperton Angels case while also learning a lot about Amanda’s ruthless nature. She is willing to do whatever it takes to uncover the story, as well as get her own personal revenge on Oliver.
As a fan of Hallett’s work The Appeal (and the novella follow-up The Christmas Appeal), I was excited to read her latest. While I enjoyed it and found the plot interesting, I found The Appeal more fun to read. I think this is because The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is mostly told from Amanda’s point of view, and she is not the most likable of characters. Her need for revenge and to be the best often overshadows the mystery itself. Thankfully Ellie, Amanda’s assistant responsible for transcribing her notes, adds a bit of personality to Amanda’s ultra-serious persona, which is reminiscent of the subtle humor found in The Appeal.
Overall, while this was not my favorite of Hallett’s, this is a compelling mystery for fans of both the author and the epistolary style.
The Heiress
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: 1/9/2024
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore was a woman with many secrets. From her early kidnapping and return to the mysterious deaths of all four of her husbands, she left her mark before her death ten years ago. Her adopted son Camden has managed to avoid confronting the fallout of her chaotic life, but upon the death of his uncle, he now has no choice but to return home and face the family who never welcomed him.
With his wife Jules in tow, he must now contend with his aunt and cousins who are very motivated to prevent him from receiving any of the inheritance left solely to him. As the family fights to prove he does not belong, secrets about all their messy lives start to unravel and drama ensues.
I enjoy a book told from multiple viewpoints, especially when the narrators are unreliable, and this book delivers on that front. Told from the perspectives of Camden and Jules, it is clear they are both hiding something. Add in letters from Ruby confessing her many sins and secrets, and the intrigue piles up. Of course, the downside with unreliable narrators is the characters usually are not the most likable people, and that rings true for most in this book. While the plot is interesting and over the top, it is hard to be invested in any of the individuals when no one seems to have any good motives.
This book is a good read for those wanting a mystery comprised of drama and untrustworthy characters, as well as fans of the author’s other works. The story does tend to veer off into soap opera territory, but it works well for the style of the book and offers a nice escape from reality. I would recommend it to any fans of familial drama.
Stay tuned for Part Two. Until then - cheers and happy reading!
