Happy New Year! For the first Highlights of 2021, we invite you to check out two recent picks from our First Impressions program. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict is an homage to the prolific mystery author Agatha Christie, imagining what might have occurred during her actual 11-day disappearance in 1926. The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. is historical fiction in the vein of Toni Morrison about two enslaved men, Isaiah and Samuel, who fall in love on a Mississippi plantation.
Our Editor's Choice review is for The House on Vesper Sands, the U.S. debut of Irish author Paraic O'Donnell. It's a detective mystery about a series of strange deaths and disappearances in Victorian-era London with a captivating cast of characters. In our Beyond the Book article, we look at the popularity of Spiritualism in London at this time. We're also giving you the opportunity to win a copy in our latest Giveaway.
We also have news of upcoming discussions in our online Book Club and, for members, the latest issue of The BookBrowse Review.
Very best,
Davina
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Each month we give away books to BookBrowse members who live in the U.S. to read and review. Members who choose to participate receive a free book about every 3-4 months. Here are their opinions on two recently released titles. |
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The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
by Marie Benedict
"I first read an Agatha Christie novel in junior high. I was hooked. I've read most of them over the years, and was intrigued by Marie Benedict's book on the actual 11-day disappearance of Mrs. Christie, which blends events from Christie's life with a writing style that pays homage to her detective fiction. A very enjoyable read for both fans of Christie and historical fiction." - Shawna (TX)
"This cleverly structured, fast-paced, skillfully written fictionalized account focuses on a famous 11-day period in Christie's life, when the already well-known author disappeared without a trace after a shouting match with her husband, Archie Christie. Benedict's novel covering this disappearance twists like a double helix. Chapters narrated by Agatha cover her life in flashbacks from October 1912, when she first met Archie, to December 14, 1926 when she reappears after her 11-day hiatus. These intertwine with chapters narrated by Archie, which cover his day to day experiences from December 4, when her car was found by a cliff, to her discovery over a week later, safe and well at an upscale seaside hotel. This is a must-read for fans of British mysteries, and a sound choice for those who enjoy sharply written, soundly researched historical fiction." - Julia E. (Atlanta, GA)
"I was happy to volunteer to review this book, as I loved Marie Benedict's novels Carnegie's Maid and Lady Clementine. I was captivated by The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. I was completely unaware of the episode in her life that this story was based on, and loved Benedict's telling of the way it might have been. The two voices alternating in the novel were well done, and held a bit of surprise for me in the second part. My detective skills were not ahead of the author's! It was a quick and compelling read, and one I am happy to recommend to my book club and fellow readers." - Theresa P. (Arkport, NY)
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Just announced: The Mystery of Mrs Christie is Costco's January "Pennie Picks" recommendation.
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Sourcebooks. Historical Fiction. 288 pages. Published Dec 29, 2020
Number of Reader Reviews: 23, Readers' Consensus: 4.5/5.0
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The Prophets
by Robert Jones, Jr.
"The Prophets is a heartbreakingly beautiful and remarkable book that's both historical and literary fiction. Set on a plantation in the Deep South, slaves Isaiah and Samuel find comfort in each other despite the cruelty of their violent owner. Jones' lyrical language transports you to the time and place, and despite the difficult subject matter, I didn't want to put the book down. Isaiah and Samuel's story shows that hope and love can take root in even the darkest of places. I cannot recommend this book highly enough." - Danielle M. (East Greenwich, RI)
"This is a powerful novel that is sure to garner awards in 2021. It is a fantastic debut from Jones, who followed the advice of Toni Morrison (as indicated in his acknowledgments) and wrote the book he wanted to read, but could not find. The story of true love in the midst of American slavery's horror could not have been told with more compassion. Include the magical realism that would have made Ms. Morrison proud and the enthralling characters throughout, and you have an impressive feat of literary historical fiction." - Robert M. (Smyrna, GA)
"While difficult at times to read due to the subject and the graphic nature of certain scenes, I thought that The Prophets was a powerful, beautifully written book. The writing style was reminiscent of Toni Morrison and had a very poetic rhythm. I enjoyed reading the different perspectives of various characters and seeing how all of it came together. Often heartbreaking, Jones really captured the emotional despair and pain that many of these characters felt and conveyed it perfectly to the reader." - Brittany P. (Brookline, MA)
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G.P. Putnam's Sons. Historical Fiction. 400 pages. Published Jan 5, 2020
Number of Reader Reviews: 13, Readers' Consensus: 4.5/5.0
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For Members: The BookBrowse Review |
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The just published issue of The BookBrowse Review, our twice-monthly membership magazine, is packed with new reviews and articles; plus author interviews, recommendations for book clubs and previews of notable books publishing over the next two weeks.
Membership is the equivalent of just $3.25/month.
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BookBrowse is also available through some public libraries. Patrons have full access from any device at any time.
You can check to see if your library subscribes, and if it does, access for free with your library card at bookbrowse.com/library.
Here is a sample of libraries that currently subscribe:
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Barrington, RI
Andover, MA
Geneseo, IL
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Jefferson County, CO
Okaloosa County, FL
New York Mills, MN
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Mill Valley, CA
Norwalk, CT
East Syracuse, NY
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Please do tell your book-loving friends and family living in these areas! |
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The House on Vesper Sands
by Paraic O'Donnell
Enter Inspector Cutter, an irascible Scotland Yard detective who lives in the same boarding house as Gideon's uncle. Cutter is assigned to investigate the death of Esther Tull, and Gideon, tagging along under the pretense of being a sergeant in training, accompanies him with an agenda of his own. He wants to get to the bottom of his uncle's disappearance, but also that of Angela Tatton, a young woman with whom he is enamored and who he believes to have been kidnapped. The two men embark on an investigation that leads them inexorably to the titular house on Vesper Sands -- the remote countryside residence of Lord Strythe (Esther Tull's employer), who may have something to do with a recent series of deaths and kidnappings around London.
The dynamic between Gideon and Cutter is this book's shining jewel: their dialogue is witty and droll -- Cutter being a man of few words and Gideon being a man of far too many, a characterization in line with his academic background. The older, bitter, hardened Cutter proves a worthwhile foil to the youthful, romantic Gideon, and the pair's evolving dynamic provides the novel with its emotional center. O'Donnell's humorous dialogue also counterbalances the novel's inherently dark nature, and this contrast between gravity and levity is managed expertly ... continued
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Beyond the Book:
Spiritualism in London
By 1860, the Spiritualist movement had gathered significant steam, and there were a number of local mediums practicing. These human conduits between the living and the dead would host séances that would be attended by members of the public. They were typically performed in darkness, and attendants would join hands to supposedly conduct the flow of energy in the room. Mediums had different methods of communicating with the dead — sometimes the spirits would convey their messages by having the medium write on a slate, and sometimes they would speak directly through the medium's mouth. Séance attendants experienced a number of other phenomena that might have hinted at a ghostly presence — sometimes they would feel vibrations or hear a musical instrument being played with no hands or feel raps on a table. Many of these sensations were proven to have been orchestrated by fraudulent mediums, some of whom were publicly debunked by the famous magician Harry Houdini, who had a distaste for Spiritualism and was part of a committee created by Scientific American magazine that promised a substantial reward to anyone who could prove they had paranormal powers.
The majority of mediums were women, as they were generally seen to be weaker in disposition and therefore more susceptible to the presence of spirits, and a great number of attendants were women as well. Queen Victoria herself participated in several séances with Prince Albert over the years, and after they each died, they allegedly communicated messages to living family members through mediums ... continued
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Giveaway: The House on Vesper Sands
by Paraic O'Donnell
With all the wit of a Jane Austen novel, and a case as beguiling as any in Sherlock Holmes' casebook, Paraic O'Donnell introduces a detective duo for the ages, and slowly unlocks the secrets of a startling Victorian mystery.
Media Reviews
"Part Wilkie Collins, part Conan Doyle."[A] cracking good read. The book ends with an epilogue that could be dismissed as superfluous, except that it plainly lays the ground for a sequel. Regardless of where one ends up filing this novel on the bookshelves, that is excellent news for us all." - The Guardian
"Stellar. ... Fans of Sarah Perry (not to mention Dickens and Wilkie Collins) will be captivated by this marvelous feat." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The House on Vesper Sands is a delicious book. Somehow it manages to do a hundred marvelous things at once: Funny, eerie, tender, haunting and unsettling, smokily atmospheric and fantastically enjoyable, it's a nineteenth-century supernatural procedural mystery that is also an impassioned meditation on love and duty, loss, suffering, power and injustice. I absolutely loved it." - Helen MacDonald, author of Vesper Flights and H is for Hawk
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Tin House Books. Mystery. 408 pages. Published Jan 12, 2020 |
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Current & Upcoming Book Discussions |
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At BookBrowse, we believe that the very best books don't just entertain and engage, they also enlighten, wrapping us in their world, giving us a window into the lives of others or a mirror to reflect on ourselves. These are the books we seek out and feature on BookBrowse, both fiction and nonfiction. |
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Published every Thursday, BookBrowse Highlights is one of BookBrowse's four free newsletters. We also publish Publishing This Week every Sunday; and Book Club News and Librarian News monthly.
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