The Stolen Lady

The Stolen Lady is the latest novel in Laura Morelli's art mysteries. All of them are standalone books. In this particular novel there are alternating plots that take place during the 1400s and during WWII. The fictional characters are based somewhat on real people and the backstory on how the Louvre staff moved its works of art is well researched. Below is the publisher's summary:

France, 1939

At the dawn of World War II, Anne Guichard, a young archivist employed at the Louvre, arrives home to find her brother missing. While she works to discover his whereabouts, refugees begin flooding into Paris and German artillery fire rattles the city. Once they reach the city, the Nazis will stop at nothing to get their hands on the Louvre's art collection. Anne is quickly sent to the Castle of Chambord, where the Louvre's most precious artworks - including the Mona Lisa - are being transferred to ensure their safety. With the Germans hard on their heels, Anne frantically moves the Mona Lisa and other treasures again and again in an elaborate game of hide and seek. As the threat to the masterpieces and her life grows closer, Anne also begins to lean the truth about her brother and the role he plays in this dangerous game.

Florence, 1479

House servant Bellina Sardi's future seems fixed when she accompanies her newly married mistress, Lisa Gherardini, to her home across the Arno. Lisa's husband, a prosperous silk merchant, is aligned with the powerful Medici, his home filled with luxuries and treasures. But soon, Bellina finds herself bewitched by a charismatic one who has urged Florentines to rise up against the Medici and to empty their homes of the riches and jewels her new employer prizes. When Master Leonardo da Vinci is commissioned to paint a portrait of Lisa, Bellina finds herself tasked with hiding an impossible secret. 

To say that I loved this story is an understatement. The richness of Florence and Milan set a striking contrast to the French countryside where the Louvre employees lived a spartan existence under Nazi rule. In my mind you cannot find a more beautiful setting than Florence. I love the art, cathedrals, fabrics and food. The pleasures that the ruling class were lucky to have engaged in will always seduce my imagination. If only to be rich in Florence during the Middle Ages. 

One of the secondary characters, Lucie, is based on a real woman who, as a Louvre employee, documented the movement of the artworks from Paris to the countryside. Through her efforts we know what happened during this time period. Our protagonist Anne worked under Lucie at the Louvre but they were equals during the run from the Nazis. The author drew upon Lucie's documentation to write this part of the story. While I can't get enough of the Italian Renaissance period I believe that Anne's story is the most compelling. 

The author gives us an interesting viewpoint into how Da Vinci felt about his Mona Lisa. We see him as he begins the portrait and decades later before his death. Morelli shows him initially believing that a portrait will never bring him accolades. However, he never truly believes that the painting is finished and works on it periodically while he looks for other commissions that will bring him fame. He too is captivated by the smile that he remembers the real Lisa had and endeavors to recreate it in this portrait. 

The Stolen Lady is a must read for historical fiction fans. 5 out of 5 stars.

Hemlock

Hemlock's action takes place far away from its usual Pecan Springs, Texas location. For most authors this results in a poorly written novel. In fact, Susan Wittig Albert did this once before and the book was awful. In Hemlock, though, she has masterfully written a story that is engaging from the first page until the last.

Our main character China Bayles receives a phone call from a friend in North Carolina. She is asked by Dorothea Harper, director of the Hemlock House Foundation, to visit her to help her with locating a missing, rare book titled A Curious Herbal. The book was written by Elizabeth Blackwell in the fifteenth century and contains her drawings of 500 herbs and plants that apothecaries used to treat people. The book vanished from its locked display case in Hemlock House, an old mansion in the North Carolina mountains. 

Another prominent character is Jenna Peterson, a graduate student who is interning at Hemlock House and is assisting Dorothea with cataloging the thousands of books in the library. Both Jenna and Dorothea live in the mansion. The police believe that one of them stole the book, mainly because they are the only people with access to the library. It's value is in the hundreds of thousands and would make either one of them wealthy. Additional characters include Police Chief Curtis, bookseller Jed Conway,  and Elizabeth Blackwell herself.  Elizabeth's story is told via drafts of a historical novel that Jenna is writing and sends to China for input. Elizabeth's story is a big part of Hemlock and is the most interesting part of the novel. There are several minor characters who are not mentioned often but are integral to solving the mystery.  These include relatives, the housekeeper and members of the Hemlock House board of directors.

Hemlock is not a cozy murder mystery but rather a cozy art theft mystery. All of the prior books in the series involved the solving of a murder. This installment of the series is fantastic. There is even a little suspense. When China walks up the rickety stairs of the mansion it is implied that she is avoiding danger of some sort not related to the steps.  This is a red herring. There are quite a few of these types of hints in the book and you don't know what will be important until the end of the story.

Hemlock is one of the author's best novels. 5 out of 5 stars.

Peril

I knew that Bob Woodward's Peril would be a great read even though there have already been several excerpts in the media. It was. I had two profound thoughts after finishing the book but let me first state that the time period covered was the last six months of Trump's presidency and the first six months of Biden's presidency.

What struck me the most was how long the military had been controlling Trump's ability to begin a war. Military officers got together before scheduled meetings in the Oval Office to decide beforehand who would say what in the meetings. One person would be selected to take the heat from Trump, i.e., tell him the truth. Telling Trump the truth always resulted in him screaming obscenities at them. This was true from Trump's initial days in Office until he left Office. When the 2020 election was nearing, military officials were even more hands on because Trump was saying privately that he wanted military action against several other nations. It has been reported in the news that the Chinese were worried that the U.S. would attack them. This worry was true for the entire 2020 calendar year not just near the election date. In fact, the Chinese military was on high alert for an attack all year as were the Russians and Iranians. The American military had several discussions with the Chinese to advise that the U S. would not attack them and in so many words say they were in control of the nuclear weapons, not Trump. 

With such extraordinary efforts being made to avert wars why did no one remove Trump from Office? The military took some measures that were illegal. While I am glad they did so the fact remains that their actions were illegal. My latest reading of the U.S. Constitution shows that the vice president is the only person who can call a cabinet meeting to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump.  In my mind Pence is just as guilty of illegal acts by failing to do his job. I guess the military did what they could given that Pence refused to do his duty. Former Joint Chief's Chairman General Milley was quoted in the book as saying that the military only has an obligation to the Constitution, not the Commander in Chief.  He upheld his duty to the Constitution by preventing Trump from starting a war, one that would also be illegal under the Constitution. We have former Vice President Pence to thank for the mess. I was not aware how much he contributed to it before reading the book. The only reason that this mess occurred is because he failed to uphold his own constitutional duties. Note, though, that the authors did not discuss Pence. These are my thoughts.

The book begins with Biden's inaugural address where he mentions that we are in a winter of peril. The book ends with the author's statement "peril remains." I agree with their assessment but most of the time I push that thought from my mind. It's just too upsetting. Peril should be required reading. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Book of the Month: September

I read several fascinating books this month. The September Society, Viral, The Cellist, The First Actress and Dominus are all contenders for my book of the month. However, I have chosen The September Society as my best book. It is a charming British yarn that takes place in the early 1800s and is volume two of the Charles Lenox Mysteries. This historical mystery novel is more of a whydunnit than a whodunnit or howdunnit. It's been a long time since I read a whydunnit and I enjoyed reading something different. 

The First Actress

I have read every novel that C. W. Gortner has written. All of them are fantastic. The First Actress is no different. It tells the story of Sarah Bernhardt beginning with her childhood in Brittany as the daughter of a courtesan, her years at a convent school near Paris, her education at a theatrical school in Paris all the way to the end of her career as an actress.

The publisher's summary:

"Sarah's highly dramatic life starts when she returns to Paris after her convent schooling and is confronted by her mother's demand to follow in the family trade as a courtesan.  To escape this fate, Sarah pursues a career onstage at the esteemed Comedy-Francaise, until her rebellious acting style leads to her scandalous dismissal.  Only nineteen years old and unemployed, Sarah is forced to submit to her mother's wishes.  But her seductive ease as a courtesan comes to an abrupt end when she discovers she is pregnant.  Unwilling to give up her child, Sarah defies social condemnation and is cast adrift, penniless and alone.  

With her striking beauty and innovative performances in a bohemian theater, Sarah catapults to unexpected success; suddenly, audiences clamor to see this controversial young actress.  But her world is torn asunder by the brutal 1870 siege of Paris.  Sarah refuses to abandon the ravaged city, nursing wounded soldiers and risking her life.

Her return to the Comedie and her tempestuous affair with her leading man plunge Sarah into a fierce quest for independence.  Undeterred, she risks everything to become France's most acclaimed actress, enthralling audiences with her shocking portrayals of female and male characters.  Sarah's daring talent and outrageous London engagement pave her path to worldwide celebrity, with sold-out tours in Europe and America."

Sarah was a drama queen's drama queen so I have a great affinity with her.  Her love of pets is another aspect that we share.  Personal similarities aside, Gortner presents an honest portrait of Sarah's life, showing both her positive and negative traits.  He gives us an interesting view of the French system of acting as well. It was rather regimented at the time and our free-spirited heroine would never fit inside this world. She was a strong enough person to continue her career though.  

I think many women today would admire her gutsiness to go after the life she envisioned for herself. While I had heard of her name, I did not know much about Sarah Bernhardt until I read this book.  I believe most women today are unfamiliar with her also but would view her determination to rise above her circumstances as something to emulate.  Unfortunately for Sarah, she had to become a courtesan to obtain the career she wanted. Although many women sleep their way to the top, I don't recommend it!  

C. W. Gortner has a knack for portraying historical females in a new light.  I loved his historical novels on Lucrezia Borgia, Catherine Medici, Juana of Castile and Maria Feodorovna. This Sarah Bernhardt novel joins this group of well researched and well written histories.  I highly recommend the book and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Run

The beginning of John Lewis's political career is the subject of Run, Book One. However, he passed away before the book was finished. 90% of the book was completed and approved by him before his death. I am presuming that there will not be a Book Two since he has died.  

To John Lewis, the civil rights movement came to an end with the signing of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. By that time he had served for more than 5 years as a leader of the movement.  He led sit-ins, marches and was an original Freedom Rider.  Lewis also served as the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee for several years, spoke at MLK's March on Washington and co-lead a march from Selma to Montgomery on Bloody Sunday.  Run begins where March 3 ends. Lewis recounts the highs and lows of fighting to harness the legal protections that are now law. However, the Vietnam War presents a challenge for an electorate that becomes consumed by the images on their TV screens and soon forgets about the civil rights movement.

The artwork is amazing.  Nate Powell had to draw his scenes from the reference of thousands of newspaper and magazine photographs. However, he had to make them historically accurate while also needing to change the angle of the drawings to fit the comic format. In addition, he had to comb through online listings of objects that he was not familiar with, such as period appropriate typewriters, so he would know what the looked like. Powell also researched how people dressed in the 1960s so that the characters' age, occupation and socioeconomic status was accurate for the time period. This sounds like a monumental task for someone who did not live through this era.  

The boldness of John Lewis' story captured this reader's attention. Everything written into the comic was so serious that sometimes it felt like information overload, even though the information was necessary to tell this true story. His vision regarding what was important enough to be included in the book is probably what makes all of his comics such good reading.  Lewis was so good at this that I believe he missed a calling as an author too late in his life. 

Run is another fantastic comic detailing events in the civil rights movement.  I wish that these comics would not end with Run because they tell this story in vivid detail.  5 out of 5 stars.

Murder on the Metro

Who do you think wrote Murder on the Metro? Margaret Truman? Jon Land? The Estate of Margaret Truman owns the copyright on the novel. She, of course, has been dead for over 10 years. Is the Estate licensing her name to make money? I don't know how this works but I do not believe that she wrote or plotted this novel. I guess it doesn't matter much as it was a fabulous read.

The story begins with a busy day. A drone killed people in a terrorist attack in Caesarea, Israel, an American vice president died of an apparent heart attack and a former spook thwarted a suicide bomber on Washington DC's Metro. There is a connection between all three of these events and the pursuit of the truth leads to the highest echelons of power in Washington. Israel's Lia Ganz and American Robert Brixton work as fast as possible to prevent millions of Americans from dying in a catastrophe that will change the U. S. forever.

The Washington DC setting is very familiar to me. I have visited there on countless occasions so I understand how secrets work. The author was able to harness his knowledge of the same with a bit of suspense too. The chapters are short, mostly 2 pages, making the pace seem super fast. 

The main characters of the Capitol Crimes series are MacKenzie and Annabelle Smith. However, their roles in this story are minimal. They were basically secondary characters. As a regular reader of the series this did not seem normal to me. Israeli agent Lia Ganz and former State Department employee Robert Brixton take the Smith's place in Murder on the Metro. Both are great characters, though, at times I felt that I was reading a Brad Thor novel. The elements of a spy thriller are all on display here. Not that this is bad. It just wasn't what I expected from a Margaret Truman novel. Her writing showed more insight into why Washingtonians behave the way they do and her plots were different than the typical spy thriller. 

The book is unputdownable and all mystery lovers will enjoy reading it. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Last Odyssey

The Last Odyssey is James Rollins' 15th Sigma Force thriller. I have read each and every one of them and love this series. However, this book was bizarre. Here  is the publisher's summary  to help you see what the story involved:

"For eons, the city of Troy - whose legendary fall was detailed in Homer's Iliad - was believed to be myth, until archeologists in the nineteenth century uncovered its ancient walls buried beneath the sands.  If Troy was real, curses and miracles - the Iliad and the Odyssey - could also be true and awaiting discovery.

In the frozen tundra of Greenland, a group of modern day researchers stumble upon a shocking find:  a medieval ship buried a half mile below the ice.  The ship's hold contains a collection of even older artifacts - tools of war - dating back to the Bronze Age.  Inside the captain's cabin is a magnificent treasure that is as priceless as it is miraculous: a clockwork gold map with an intricate silver astrolabe embedded in it.  The mechanism was crafted by a group of Muslim inventors - the Bay Musa brothers - considered by many to be he Da Vinci's of the Arab world - brilliant scientists who inspired Leonardo's own work.

Once activated, the moving map traces the path of Odysseus's famous ship as it sailed away from Troy.  But the route detours as the map opens to reveal a fiery river leading to a hidden realm underneath the Mediterranean sea.  It is the subterranean world of Tartarus, the Greek name for Hell.  In mythology, Tartarus was where the wicked were punished by the monstrous Titans of old imprisoned.  

When word of Tartarus spreads - and of the case of miraculous weapons said to be hidden there - tensions explode in this volatile regions where Turks battle Kurds, terrorists wage war, and civilians suffer untold horrors. The phantasmagoric horrors found in Homer's tales are all too real - and could be unleashed upon the world. Whoever possesses them can use their awesome power to control the future of humanity. 

Now Sigma Force must go where humans fear to tread.  To prevent a tyrant from igniting a global war, they must cross the very gates of Hell."

I thought this was an odd book. Why would the Sigma Force be involved in a search that would require proving various Greek mythologies to be true? The plot seemed preposterous as did the scientific facts supporting it. While the Author's Note tells us what parts of the story were true, I still couldn't believe any of it. I am not a fan of mythology to begin with but The Last Odyssey went overboard with its suspension of belief. Underground bronze cities with bronze monsters? I can't go there.

The characters were off their mark presumably because they were not fighting their typical adversaries. Instead, we have a secret group called the Apocalypti. The group members are from various faiths but they all believe that an apocalypse that will end the current violent world in favor of a new paradise must be helped along by their efforts. Why would governments, and their spies, care about such a group? 

I can't believe what I am about to say about a James Rollins novel:  it was boring. I couldn't wait to finish reading it. My rating is shocking (to me). 2 out of 5 stars. Let's hope Rollins returns to the spy business for his next book.

Can't Wait Wednesday #9

It's just a few more days before Laura Morelli's latest book is published. On September 21, 2021 The Stolen Lady is scheduled for publication. The publisher's website says that is about the Mona Lisa and it takes place during WWII. I have been a big fan of Morelli since The Painter's Apprentice came out. 

In The Stolen Lady there are 2 parallel plots.  In the 15th century, Leonardo Da Vinci is commissioned to paint a portrait of the wife of a silk trader named Lisa.  Lisa's servant gets caught up in a plot to rise up against the Medici family.  Her loyalty is split between Lisa and the insurgents who intend to seize assets, including art, from landowners. The servant, Bellina, decides to protect the unfinished portrait of Lisa.  In 1939 an archivist's assistant named Anne partakes in missions to hide museum pieces from the Nazis. Anne also becomes involved with the French Resistance. 

While there are a plethora of books about the Nazis and stolen art works, I am hoping that Morelli will bring something new to this sub-genre. 

An Untidy Death

Simon Brett's newest book is a Decluttering Mystery set in Littlehampton, UK. It's the second book in a series following The Clutter Corpse. The protagonist, Ellen Curtis, is a professional declutterer who helps hoarders get control over their messy homes. When Ellen is approached by Alexandra Richards to sort out her mother's flat she gets the impression that Alexandra doesn't like her mother much. After spending an hour with Ingrid Richards at her home, she sees that there are papers lying everywhere but that there is an order to the clutter. The next day Ingrid dies in a fire in the home. The police are inclined to dismiss Ingrid's death as  an accident due to the messy home. However, Ellen is not so sure that this was an accident. She wonders whether Alexandra's resentment toward her mother spiraled out of control and the more she learns about Ingrid the more suspicious she is about the reason for her death. Ellen's other client, Edward Finch, appeared to be a straightforward job of putting things away. But it wasn't.

I loved this novel. First of all, having a declutterer as a protagonist is simply brilliant. I can see this as a lengthy series. Ellen's character seemed reserved, considering that most protagonists have larger than life personalities. Her clientele were more excitable so I guess it takes someone quieter to handle them and handle them well she did. Ellen's sleuthing was low- key compared to other amateur sleuths. At first this seemed odd but I began to enjoy it more because the plot centered around the whodunnit rather than the amateur sleuth's life. 

Mystery lovers are going to want to read this.  4 out of 5 stars.

A Trip to the Library

I think I overdid it yesterday. This big stack of books was hard to carry home on the bus and my back is still hurting. I expected to pick up one book but just got too excited and picked up every book that seemed even mildly interesting. 

I am already halfway through Simon Brett's An Untidy Death. Having avoided political mysteries for a few years, I am going back to James Rollins and Brad Thor. We will see if I like them. If my job wasn't in government I would never have stopped reading these authors. They are great writers but sometimes you feel you cannot relax with a book that makes you feel like you're still on the job. What is most interesting about this group of books is that Margaret Truman continues to write even though she's been dead for 10+ years. Now that's amazing! Lol.

Stacking the Shelves #8

The Stacking the Shelves meme is hosted by the Reading Reality blog. It was originally hosted by the Team Tynga's Reviews blog and now is solely hosted by Reading Reality. 

I have been anticipating the arrival of Bob Woodward's latest book on the Trump Presidency and the transition to the Biden Administration.  Peril will be published in two weeks on September 21, 2021 and I have already pre-ordered my copy. I love that Woodward always interviews a few hundred people before writing his books. With Peril, Woodward interviewed more than 200 people at the center of the turmoil that our nation went through during the early months of the year. While I enjoy Woodward's books, I am almost afraid to relive those months of uncertainty. However, I know it is better to be an informed citizen. Peril is a perfect description of this transition period. We all felt it, regardless of our political leanings.

Let's Not Talk Anymore

Let's Not Talk Anymore portrays 5 generations of women from the author's family in a graphic memoir. Their stories are told from when they were all fifteen years old. In 1902 the author's great-grandmother Kuan's life is told. In 1947 her grandmother Mei's story is told and in 1972 her mother Bing is portrayed. In 1998 author Pixin’s own life is shown and in 2032 the author's imaginary daughter Rita's life is given. These stories alternate back and forth in time and span a century. 

Weng Pixin's lineage is full of sorrow. Great-grandmother Kuan is sent away from her family in China to Singapore, grandmother Mei's mother allowed her to be adopted by a neighbor to help with the housework, Bing's father left the family home, while Pixin feels isolated from her mother. Through these generational traumas, fractured relationships are passed down from mother to daughter every generation. It all seemed sad to me. These ladies were miserable but tried to hide their feelings. I am not sure why but I wonder if this is a way for the Chinese to save face? 

The artwork was drawn in colorful comic book panels. It was a little hard to tell the difference between the women given that they look alike. Weng Pixin changed the facial coloring and hair styles to distinguish them from one another. She used an interesting mixed media approach to the drawings by using poster paint, oil pastels and watercolors. The style of the drawings is simple, almost childlike. 

My main takeaway from the book is that the way in which each of us handle adversity comes from imitating the way our elders handled it. This is a depressing thought because it seems that we are all doomed to repeat mistakes from the past. I liked that the last nine pages were of butterflies ready for flight. Perhaps there is a silver lining in every family's story.

3 out of 5 stars.