Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York

Entitled is a biography of Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.  For the past couple of years, I have fallen into the trap of reading gossipy books on Britain's royal family. I knew it would be a fast read and would help me relax from a stressful September. 

The publisher's summary:

This explosive biography of the Duke and Duchess of York - - Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson – exposes the secrets and scandals behind their extravagant lives and troubled marriage.

Entitled presents an unvarnished and meticulously researched account of two of the most controversial figures in modern royal history. Based on years of investigation, extensive Freedom of Information requests and more than a hundred interviews with previously silent sources, acclaimed royal expert Andrew Lownie delivers an authoritative and deeply revealing dual portrait of the Duke and Duchess, whose lives and relationship have ben marked by privilege, controversy, and public fascination.

Tracing their stories from childhood through their high-profile courtship and marriage, dramatic divorce, and enduring connection as “the happiest divorced couple in the world,” Entitled digs deeper than ever before into a pair that has long been a source of scrutiny. Lownie examines Prince Andrew’s trajectory from a celebrated naval officer to a disgraced royal accused of sexual assault and stripped of his public duties, and unpacks the truth of his lavish lifestyle and the enduring fallout from his association with Jeffrey Epstein.

More than just a story of personal failings or royal scandal, Entitled examines the broader context of a monarchy navigating public accountability and the pressures of modernity. The result is a compelling and nuanced portrait of a flawed couple whose lives have defined and defied the expectations of royalty in the 21zst century, and whose actions continue to resonate far beyond the palace walls.

Entitled is an appropriate name for the book. I was surprised how entitled Sarah Ferguson became after her marriage to Andrew and how quickly she changed.  I knew Andrew behaved entitled but was not aware that Sarah acted the same way. In many ways she manipulated her husband by appealing to his sense of entitlement. Simularly, Meghan Markle did the same with Prince Harry. Both wives are the dominant partners in their marriages. Andrew and Sarah truly belong with each other. They are two of a kind. 

The book reads fast. All of the chapters are three pages long. Sarah's story was the most interesting to me, probably because I didn't know much about her. The author begins with her birth and follows Sarah up to the present. It seems that after Sarah's mother left the family for another man when she was four, Sarah blamed herself for what happened and covered up her insecurity with boisterous behavior. She never was able to overcome her new boisterous personality which caused her to make so many mistakes as a member of the royal family. Queen Elizabeth tried to rein her in on several occasions but was unsuccessful. Sarah spent money she didn't have and her debts were paid by the Queen or Andrew at least ten times. She never stopped spending. The family wondered whether she was having a nervous breakdown.

Entitled was a relaxing read. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Highgate Cemetery Murder

I have wanted to read The Highgate Cemetery Murder ever since it was published in February 2024. It is a historical mystery novel about a murdered woman who was strung up on a wooden cross in a cemetery.  It did not disappoint.

The publisher's summary:  

His heart pounding, the man scribbles the words in his notebook as fast as he can: “Woman dead in Highgate. Man in caped coat. Milky way and red streaks. I’m being followed.”

Hours later, the man’s cold body lies in the city mortuary, alongside the woman he couldn’t save. And his sister, unconventional nurse Gemma Tate, tracks down troubled police inspector Sebastian Bell to unravel the truth.

Sebastian has enough pressure to solve the murder of an aristocratic heiress without Gemma meddling in his case. But the cryptic sentences she brings him from her brother’s notebook could be a crucial lead. If only they knew what “milky way” meant. But as the trail of clues takes them away from the gilded drawing rooms of the nobility and into the dangerous slums of London, how far will their partnership be tested on the quest for justice, and will they both emerge unscathed?

 

The story opened with the discovery of Adelaide Seaborne, a 17 year old girl, tied to a cross in Highgate Cemetery. I was fascinated by this scene and my curiosity kept me reading until I finished the book in one sitting. The man who found her body was killed that same day after seeing a man's face in the cemetery. However, it took a few days for Scotland Yard investigator Sebastian Bell to learn about his demise. Gemma Tate, a nurse, was Victor Tate's sister. Gemma did not make much money even though she had a professional job and she had to consider how she could continue living in Victor's house and pay the bills.

The writing was fast paced. I enjoyed the 1850s London setting with all its glamour. The ladies wore long, demure gowns and lived in magnificent mansions. The reader learns how slow the lives of women were. They were not allowed to work after marriage and must have had dull minds from lack of stimulation. 

Police inspector Bell was shrewd in his dealings with his superiors. Officially his wings were clipped concerning the investigation. His boss did not want him to push the Seaborne family for information as Mr. Seaborne was an aristocrat. However, Bell went ahead and questioned Adelaide's maid and other staff as well as Adelaide's brother and father. Suffice to say  Bell irritated the Seabornes by asking too many questions about Adelaide's lifestyle and the boyfriend whom she wanted to marry. Mr. Parker was not only not an aristocrat he was American. Two strikes against him. Mr. Seaborne refused his daughter's request to marry him. Instead, she was betrothed to someone else. Adelaide had no intention of marrying this person though. She hoped that with time her father would relent. Against this backdrop Adelaide was murdered. 

The Highgate Cemetery Murder is a 

fine example of historical fiction and historical fans will love the book. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

Pain Killers: A Year in the ER

I no sooner posted that I wouldn't be doing much reading this month when I received a message from Book Sirens about a review for the above book coming due. So I read it last night. Last year I read author Rachel Callaghan's Under Water. It was my second best book for 2024, behind a graphic novel, so it was technically my best fiction novel. Callaghan is a former ER physician. The story is in the epistolary form where the plot is revealed through physicians’ notes, ER logbook entries, and letters between the characters. It was published on July 25, 2025.

The publisher's summary:  

The year is 1978. Mary Grace Kelly flees to a new city with a set of scrubs, a nursing license, and a secret. She hopes to hide in this bustling blur of cranky patients and even crankier physicians. Complaining to her sister back home, Mary Grace’s letters describe her arrogant, infuriating colleague Dr. David Korn, who wears his sarcasm like another white coat. But when her therapy sessions land her in a waiting room with this man, her irritation turns into intrigue. Their reluctant bond deepens until her father’s illness yanks Mary Grace back into her unresolved trauma.

David’s sexual frustrations leak out with wry, Jewish humor in notes to his brother. His sibling is quick to point to David’s past relationship failures as evidence that he’s a “self-indulgent bastard.” For all his bluster, David wants something more meaningful but knows his family will never approve of his relationship with Catholic Mary Grace. She’s challenging all his preconceived notions, but does he have the patience to wait for her to find the healing she needs?

A vaudevillian uncle, a retired nun, and an elderly vagrant conspire to help Mary Grace find her way. But she must first learn to trust again.

The fast-paced, epistolary style of Pain Killers allows the reader to eavesdrop on the controlled chaos in emergency care. Before desktop computers, the relentless rhythm of the ER was documented through a heap of administrative paperwork. Callaghan skillfully weaves a story from this patchwork, revealing the humanity behind the charts and clipboards in short snatches dripping with subtext. Like the emergency room it chronicles, Pain Killers taps the vein between protocol and improv.

Rx for busy readers on the go

Prescribe this book to readers jonesing for the insider grit of medical fiction compounded with the warmth of a romantic dramedy microdosed in snippets. Severe to moderate distraction may occur: failing to notice you’ve been called to dinner, you’ve missed your subway stop, or your professor has asked what you’re reading. Take as needed to alleviate symptoms of boredom, existential nausea, or the yearning for human connection.

The story was cute. I enjoyed the epistolary form, especially the doctor and nurse notes on patients.  I know that the notes are true to life because I worked in a hospital way back in the 1970s. The book isn't a mystery as I expected it would be but rather general fiction. It was a nice break from my usual fare but I have to admit that there wasn't much suspense. Even so, I read it in one sitting. Pain Killers was a relaxing way to spend an evening. Mary Grace is the main character. She had something awful happen to her when she was a teen but it wasn't revealed until the middle of the novel. For the remainder of the story she tried dealing with her emotions, somewhat successfully. I noticed that Mary Grace was constantly writing her sister letters but that sister Kathleen never responded. Clue number one. Dr. David Korn annoys her so she tries avoiding him. As I expected, they eventually began dating. Clue number two. They are very different people but their relationship seems to work. Mary Grace is a strong Roman Catholic while Dave is a non-practicing Jew. 

Pain Killers: A Year in the ER is a sweet, uncomplicated story. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

A Slow September

FYI-

I am moving to a new house this month. Consequently, my reading will be significantly reduced. I did not finish the books I planned to read in August because I am too keyed up over the move. In October I will resume my usual reading level and post more reviews.