mwgerard's reviews
1692 reviews

Read at : https://www.mwgerard.com/books-for-november-24/

Zoning is one of the more mundane -- and potentially nefarious -- aspects of modern living. Bureaucratic at its core, at times inscrutable for the average person, it can make or break a city. It can also ruin a neighborhood, encourage new business, or protect natural resources. Brown uses examples of zoning, good and bad, to illustrate her points, though I wish she had included more ways to create protective ordinances.

Put on some warm, fuzzy socks and give yourself some chills reading about these places around the world. Some of these places you'll have heard of; others are more esoteric. The strength of this book is the design and layout. Double page spreads with attractive diagrams and maps put it somewhere between guide and coffee table book. Read via NetGalley.

Read my full review: https://www.mwgerard.com/review-death-sign-rook/

Detective Jackson Brodie has retired from the police force and moved to a quiet town in Yorkshire, taking on the occasional private matter to keep things interesting. His current case is centered around a missing painting. "Woman with a Weasel," a valuable old portrait, hangs over the bed of the matriarch, but it disappears after she dies -- and the in-home carer has likewise dematerialized.[spacer height="20px"]

On his way out, he noticed something he hadn't seen on the way in -- a small patch of ground at the side that had been fenced off and contained headstones, all in different styles. It took Jackson a moment to realize this was a display rather than a graveyard -- Jessop's offered the full service, right down to the stonemason. It was rather like exiting through the gift shop. ~Loc. 1446

[spacer height="20px"]Meanwhile, at the local manorhouse of Burton Makepeace, the current inhabitants are struggling to keep the roof fixed and the heating bill paid. Despite the distaste the family has for rank commercialism, they recognize the necessity of allowing the public in for various events. Especially since their priceless Turner was stolen before they could sell it and raise any funds.[spacer height="20px"]

Lady Milton wasn't particularly fond of any of her children, preferring her dogs, two black Labradors, Tommy and Tuppence -- a brother and sister -- reasonable creatures compared to her own. ~ Loc. 359

[spacer height="20px"]Lady Milton and her family have been reduced to opening the stately home for a murder mystery weekend, complete with out-of-town guest players, community theatre actors, and an amateur script. Of course, just as the unsophisticated guests come tromping in, a massive blizzard traps them all inside, perhaps with a murderer.[spacer height="20px"]

'Lady Milton', who was herself probably one of the Murder Mystery company pretending to be the real Lady Milton. Perhaps the entire house was just one big theatrical set. And here he was on stage, a solitary man with his prop, an empty wheelbarrow, like a character in a farce, or a play by Brecht -- both equally unappetizing theatrical experiences in Ben's view. ~Loc. 2856

Brodie's inner monologue is always cranky, sharp, and amusing, and this book is no different. He remains the reluctant hero, by dint of being the one who shows up, not because he has any magnificent altruism.

The novel itself takes on a "Noises Off" or "Murder by Death" slapstick quality once the murder mystery party gets into the swing. Random people answering the doorbell or being asked to show people to their rooms. A body (maybe?) appears then disappears. It's mayhem and no one knows who is in charge.

I really enjoyed Case Histories (and the TV adaptation with Jason Issacs) and I am excited to see the Jackson Brodie has returned.

My thanks to Doubleday for the review e-galley. Read via NetGalley.

Although the idea is interesting, the final product is clunky, particularly the denouement.

The basic setup is good enough but the story just never really gets going. I like moody novels as much as anyone the atmospherics weren't enough to keep me interested to wait for it. 

Three years after the Bolsheviks have murdered the royal family and seized control of the country, the rebels have arrived at the crumbling Goliteva mansion. Once a prosperous family, members of the minor aristocracy, they have been relegated to the bare, freezing attic while soldiers tromp below. What little food they had is taken by the unwelcome guests.

Sisters Lila and Irina go to the market each day, in hopes of securing scraps for their family back home. On a recent trip they happen to meet two young Americans working for the American Relief Association. A sanctioned organization, they help deliver charity to displaced Russians. They offer the sisters jobs at the agency, an offer they tentatively accept.

By day they lend their talents to their modern reality. But at night the literal ghosts of their ancestors come back to life in their old home. This novel imagines a liminal world where the past demands to be part of the present.

My thanks to Berkley for the review copy. Read via NetGalley.

Roxana Spicer’s mother did not have to imagine the results of a Bolshevik takeover. Born under Lenin, Agnes (as she was known to her daughter) was forced to serve in the Red Army, was captured by the Nazis, sent to a prisoner camp, managed to survive and escape, somehow get to Canada, open a roadside restaurant, get married, and have a life.

Her daughter knows very little of this traumatic and exotic life. Now an adult, she is an investigative journalist, and is determined to use her skills to understand her mother’s past. Roxana carefully asks questions of her mother, trying to tease out pieces when she seems to be in a talkative mood. Roxana also made a number visits to Russia to meet and talk to relatives who might have stories to share. She finds many are still reluctant to talk about what happened.

The book stretches across the three-plus decades of a changing and crumbling Soviet facade to opening Iron Curtain. The narrative wanders from present investigations to historical context to childhood memories, reflecting how family stories are often told and remembered, weaving in and out.

It’s not an easy read. It is emotional and dark, but it is compelling and well done.

My thanks to Viking for the review copy. Read via NetGalley.

My full review: https://www.mwgerard.com/review-in-the-fog/

I’ve been absolutely devouring the mystery titles being rediscovered from the Library of Congress and the British Library. There are so many amazing tales that deserve new generation of readers. Though short, this one was an absolute charmer.

On a rainy, late Victorian evening in London, a group of men sit in their club. They are bemoaning the fact that a bill they oppose will pass in Parliament before the session closes that night. As they sit there in defeat, they notice Sir Andrew, the bill’s main supporter, is across the room. They hatch a Scheherazade plan to tell him intriguing tales and distract him until the vote is over.

The American ambassador begins the distraction. He tells a harrowing story of being lost in the London fog at night. He quite literally has to feel his way along the fence line of front gardens to avoid falling off the curb. The gas lamps do nothing to dispel the gloom. And just when he decides it’s hopeless, a bright light spills out from an opening front door. He decides he will throw himself on the mercy of its inhabitants and starts to fumble at the gate when an unseen figure rushes past him. The figure doesn’t help him but he crawls up the stoop to the interior of the home. Entering the parlor in search of residents whom he can beg sanctuary, he finds a surprise: two dead bodies and a sleeping servant. He learns it is home to Princess Zichy, a Russian aristocrat, now deceased. But was she really a princess, or simply a talented scammer?