I'm extra late posting for October, but I was gone for the last two weeks, so I am just catching up now! I read seven books in October and I guess traveling and sitting poolside in Mexico is conducive to reading!
1+2) I read the first two of William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor mystery series: Iron Lake and Boundary Waters. Cork O'Connor was a former sheriff in upper Minnesota, who was hired to solve crimes up in the area that he had previously worked. I found these first two mysteries to be quite compelling to read. This series began 20 years ago and the 18th book of the series is just out! I've decided to read one of the books each month, so I don't burn out on the series! His books Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land are among my favorite books. I love his writing and these books are as well written as his other books!
3) The Ambassador's Daughter by Pam Jenoff. This author's historical writing never fails to hit the mark. This book takes place in 1919. Margot was the daughter of a German ambassador who accompanied her father to Paris and was quite happy there, despite having a fiance who had been badly wounded in the war, and was waiting at home for her. When a peace conference began outside of Paris, Margot had to go there with her father and found a job there to pass her time working for Georg. As Margot was there, she began to question her loyalties and had to work through what she thought was right and wrong. It was a good story.
4) The Survivors by Jane Harper. As readers of the blog know, I recently became a big fan of Jane Harper's novels. This newest one was as good as the others! In the novel, Kieran Elliot brought his wife and young baby back to his hometown for a visit. They stayed with Keiran's parents and Keiran's brother's death was always present. When his brother died it had changed Keiran's life forever. While Keiran was visiting, a young girl's body was found on the beach one morning and as the investigation went on, long ago secrets began to reveal themselves. It is a really well-written book. I enjoyed it!
5) The Unwilling by John Hart. Yes, another mystery. I don't know why. Jason French had just been released from prison after serving 27 months for violence and drugs. He wanted to reconnect with his family, so he and his young brother Gibby spent a day together, and then, as the day was ending, a young woman in their car began taunting a busload of prisoners. A few days later she was found dead and Jason was the prime suspect. Gibby got involved trying to prove his brother's innocence and soon he was also a suspect after another girl was found dead. This is a complicated, compelling story! I highly recommend it!
6) Oh William by Elizabeth Strout. Oh Elizabeth, how much I loved this book! If you recall, Ms. Strout had written a book called My Name is Lucy Barton a few years ago. In Oh William, Lucy is telling the story of her ex-husband William. William discovered/unearthed some startling results when he began studying his genealogy. He asked Lucy to go with him on a trip to investigate what he had found.
This novel was an absolutely beautiful story and completely unexpected! I read it in a few hours.
7) Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah. This was probably my least favorite of the books that I read, but it was still a decent story. Joanne Teale was doing some graduate research and was living in a cabin in southern Illinois for the summer. One day, a girl who called herself Ursa showed up at the cabin. She reported that she had come from the stars and needed to witness five miracles. Joanne could not get any information about who she was, nor where she was from. Joanne enlisted her neighbor Gabe to help her find out about the child. As the summer went on, the three of them became close, but Ursa's past still remained unknown. Why was no one looking for her or reporting her missing? It was kind of a feel-good type of book in the end.
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