Tuesday Book Review on Wednesday

 

Five-star Review of The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel

Tulsi has been expected all her life to take over for her mother and grandmother as a spice healer in the Ayurveda tradition at their shop in Salem, Massachusetts, but she doesn’t think that’s the path she should take. The Gupta women also had a tradition of raising a daughter alone. The problem for Tulsi was that she didn’t know how else to live her life or what she wanted instead. But as she uncovers secrets about her mother and grandmother’s past and gets to know the owner of the new restaurant next door, her options become clearer. She also meets people from her mother and grandmother’s past in Chicago. Throughout the book, each of the characters is beautifully developed. The writing is engaging. As a bonus, it was fascinating to learn about various herbs and spices and their medicinal values.

Tuesday Book Review on Wednesday

 

Four-star review of The Ministry of Unladylike Activity 2: The Body in the Blitz by Robin Stevens

 In the follow-up series to the Murder Most Unladylike collection, Hazel’s little sister May is joined by her friends Nuala and Eric to investigate murders, this time in the London mews where they are living while they train to help the Ministry’s spies including Hazel, Daisy and their friend George during World War II. Yes, I figured out what was going on long before the kids but then they’re about 11 years old and this is only their second case. Stevens seems to know how pre-teens’ minds work and the chances they might take. The story is told by Nuala who, like Hazel in the first series, is the one documenting the cases. The characters in the story are interesting. Some of the situations are implausible, but fun to read about.

Tuesday Book Review on Wednesday

 

Four-star review of A Precarious Homecoming: An Arabella Stewart Historical Mystery Book 1

Arabella Stewart recently returned from France where she was part of the United States Signal Corps during the Great War and found her hometown in northern Ohio as well as the returning servicemen changed. She mourns her brother who died in battle as well as her parents who also died, in their case from the Spanish flu that swept the country. But when a middle-aged German-American is killed, suspicion falls on the former servicemen. Arabella, her brother’s friend Jax, who’s now the town Constable, and others investigate the murder. With so many suspects, it takes time to narrow down the list. Some of the dialogue seems stilted but considering the time period, it’s probably true to the way people spoke. I picked the right murderer long before the end, but so did Bella and Jax. They just had to prove it.  

Tuesday Book Review on Wednesday

 

Four-star review for Redemption (Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran Book 1) by Deborah Ledford

Eva “Lightning Dance” Duran is a Taos policewoman searching for her best friend, Paloma, a renowned hoop dancer from the Taos Pueblo. Paloma and three other women, all addicts, have been missing for a while. Paloma’s teenage son, Kai, is also searching for his mother. The story is told from many POVs, including the woman holding the four women prisoner. Descriptions of the area around Taos and the Pueblo resounded with me because of a recent trip there to see the city and the gorge bridge, which pays a crucial part in the story. I’m also interested in stories that portray the lifestyle of any of the many Puebloans in New Mexico.