Fiction Reviews, September 1, 2010
Sep 1, 2010Connelly, Michael. The Reversal. Little, Brown. Oct. 2010. c.416p. ISBN 9780316069489. $27.99. F
Defense attorney Mickey Haller (The Lincoln Lawyer) teams up with Harry Bosch (Nine Dragons) to tackle an almost 25-year-old case in Connelly's latest page-turner. A convicted killer has been exonerated thanks to DNA evidence, and Haller is asked to be the prosecuting attorney in the case and retry him for the murder. Bosch takes the investigator role and has to start from scratch to find enough evidence to make the conviction stick this time. And most of the original witnesses are no longer alive. VERDICT Alternating between Haller's first-person narration and the third-person narrative following Bosch, Connelly weaves a tale that solidifies his reputation as the master of the modern crime thriller. His latest constantly surprises and has keen character insight. With a movie in the works based on The Lincoln Lawyer starring Matthew McConaughey, demand for this will be higher than usual, so be prepared. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/10.]—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.
Doshi, Tishani. The Pleasure Seekers. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. Sept. 2010. c.320p. ISBN 9781608192779. pap. $15. F
Babo is the treasured oldest son of Prem Kumar Patel and his wife, Trishala. It's 1968 in Madras, India, and while world events carry on, the Patels are sending their son to England. Babo leaves behind his sisters, Meenal and Dolly, and his younger brother, Chotu, who will really miss the one thing he's passionate about—his big brother. After graduating from Jain College, Babo takes off to further his education and intern at Joseph Friedman & Sons, the company that supplies Prem Kumar with raw materials for Patel & Sons paint factory. In London, Babo jumps into his new life and embraces things he was warned about back home: sex, eating meat, and drinking alcohol. Then he meets a young Welsh woman named Sian Jones, and life is never the same. The relationship between Babo and Sian creates many challenges for both families, but instead of being torn asunder because of parental disapproval, the couple overcomes and flourishes. VERDICT This engaging tale of mixed cultures is a happy read. For fans of family tales and Indian stories.—Robin Nesbitt, Columbus Metropolitan Lib., OH
Doyle, Brian. Mink River. Oregon State Univ. Oct. 2010. c.320p. ISBN 9780870715853. pap. $18.95. F
Stories that sing in many voices, "braided and woven…leading one to another," shape Doyle's debut novel. Worried Man and Cedar are the entire Department of Public Works for Neawanaka, a small Oregon coastal town at the mouth of the Mink River. Beyond fixing potholes, they make the Oral History Project their mission. Worried Man tapes Native American stories from his Salish ancestors for Daniel, his 12-year-old grandson. Owen Cooney, Daniel's father, runs the Auto & Other Repair and has his own stories about his Irish ancestors, as do the O Donnells, led by fiery Red Hugh, eking out a living as a farmer. Other stories flow from Daniel's mother, No Horses, a sculptress who cannot find wood with the right spirit; the town doctor, who offers solace to broken bodies; and Michael, the opera-loving cop who feels burdened by what he sees every day. VERDICT Award-winning essayist Doyle writes with an inventive and seductive style that echoes that of ancient storytellers. This lyrical mix of natural history, poetry, and Salish and Celtic lore offers crime, heartaches, celebrations, healing, and death. Readers who appreciate modern classics like Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio or William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying will find much to savor here. Enthusiastically recommended.—Donna Bettencourt, Mesa Cty. P.L., Grand Junction, CO
Gallaway, Matthew. The Metropolis Case. Crown. Dec. 2010. c.384p. ISBN 9780307463425. $25. F
This debut offers an operatic confluence of multiple stories concerning Martin, a 40-year-old, HIV-positive lawyer in 2001 New York, who's going through a midlife crisis; the musically gifted Maria, an orphan adopted in Pittsburgh in 1960; and Lucien, also musically gifted and the son of a well-known scientist in mid-19th-century Paris. Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde is important to them all: Lucien eventually sings the role of Tristan at the opera's premiere in Germany in 1864, Maria enrolls at Juilliard and sings as Isolde at a Metropolitan Opera performance, and Martin, who's had an emotionally difficult time coming to terms with his gay identity, decides after his 40th birthday to retire from his lucrative law practice and devote himself to his own interests, one of which has become opera. It all comes together in New York City in the years after 9/11, as fate, destiny, and the transformative power of love are unleashed from the Wagner opera and exert a strong influence on the lives of the characters. VERDICT This charming and inventive novel works as a romantic mystery story of sorts and is recommended for all fiction readers.—Jim Coan, SUNY Coll. at Oneonta Lib.
Gansworth, Eric. Extra Indians. Milkweed. Nov. 2010. c.272p. ISBN 9781571310798. pap. $16. F
Gansworth (Mending Skins) has given us a beautiful story of the intersection of truth and fiction, family and forgiveness, and the inability to forgive. Truck driver Tommy Jack usually stays within the confines of Texas, but each winter he schedules a longer trip to watch the meteor showers. On one trip, he picks up a Japanese tourist looking for the buried treasure from the movie Fargo. When she dies of exposure at his rented cabin, Tommy Jack gets national media attention—and the attention of his long-estranged adopted son and a young woman who may be his daughter. Tommy Jack's life took its first detour in Vietnam, where he became best friends with Fred Howkowski, an American Indian from upstate New York. When the two returned stateside safely, Fred signed his young son over to Tommy Jack while he pursued a career in the movies that led to disillusionment, depression, and eventually suicide. Now, in this grippingly told work, Fred's ghost and many others are coming back to haunt Tommy Jack. VERDICT A powerful story; highly recommended for readers of popular fiction.—Debbie Bogenschutz, Cincinnati State Technical & Community Coll. Lib.
Gardam, Jane. God on the Rocks. Europa, dist. by Penguin. Nov. 2010. c.208p. ISBN 9781933372761. pap. $15. F
Things are coming apart at the seams for Margaret Marsh during one cataclysmic season in her eight-year-old life. Born between the wars and brought up by her Holy Roller father and his compliant wife as a "Primal Saint" to eschew entertainments and to memorize and recite Bible chapter and verse, Margaret is in rebellion. With the arrival of a new baby in the household, her parents have hired the bawdy and buxom Lydia to help at home and escort Margaret on seaside outings, during which she encounters some eccentric residents of a home for the elderly and insane. At the same time, her mother renews the acquaintance of her childhood friends Binkie and Charles, from whom she'd been estranged since she went to work at the post office and they left for Cambridge. Both new and old acquaintances come together to shake up the once ordered lives of the Marshes. VERDICT Published in the United Kingdom in 1978 and only briefly available here, this Booker nominee will appeal to readers who love the Penelopes (Fitzgerald and Lively) as well as Gardam's more recent novels, like Faith Fox and Old Filth. This treasure should send them back for all her books. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/10.]—Barbara Love, Kingston Frontenac P.L., Ont.
Glass, Julia. The Widower's Tale. Pantheon. Sept. 2010. c.416p. ISBN 9780307377920. $25.95. F
At 70, retired Harvard librarian Percy Darling has turned into a bit of a crank. The gentrification of his quaint New England village and the technological shift in libraries are among his many gripes. The latest assault on Percy's peace and contentment is the presence of a day care he has allowed his daughter to build on his historic property. Multistranded plotlines intersect and connect the others who orbit Percy's world: single mother Sarah, with whom Percy forms an attachment after years of self-imposed monkhood; Percy's daughters Trudy, a renowned breast cancer consultant, and Clover, suffering through a messy custody dispute; his grandson, Robert, whose friends are involved in underground environmental activism; Celestino, a Guatemalan gardener with immigration problems; and Ira, a gay day care worker who had been falsely accused of improper conduct at his previous school. VERDICT As she has done so compellingly in earlier novels (e.g., Three Junes), Glass brings together familiar themes, sympathetic characters, and multiple story lines in a harmonious mashup that is sure to enchant her many fans. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/10.]—Barbara Love, Kingston Frontenac P.L., Ont.
Goldberg, Myla. The False Friend. Doubleday. Oct. 2010. c.272p. ISBN 9780385527217. $25.95. F
The term mean girls is elevated to a new level in Goldberg's moody novel. Is there anything uglier or more damaging than the well-honed bullying techniques of middle-school girls? There's always a natural leader, and newcomer Djuna Pearson wields the power. Choosing Celia as her acolyte, Djuna designates second-tier friends, and outsider Leanne gets the brunt of their cruel teasing. For 21 years Celia manages to lock away the memories of that time, fashioning an enviable life for herself in Chicago. One day she's overwhelmed with the need to confess the lie she once told about Djuna, a falsehood that shook the solid foundation of her small town. With a deep sense of unease, readers accompany Celia on her return to Jensenville, NY, where she hopes to make amends for a transgression only she seems to be aware of. VERDICT The authenticity of the author's voice is evident when she describes the uncomfortable emotions and forgotten details that assault the adult Celia as she goes back to her childhood home. Different in theme from Goldberg's Bee Season and Wickett's Remedy, this is a layered, understated novel about the complex, ambiguous nature of memory and its effect on the dynamics of relationships. Great fodder for reading groups. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/10.]—Sally Bissell, Lee Cty. Lib. Syst., Ft. Myers, FL
Grass, Günter. The Box: Tales from the Darkroom. Houghton Harcourt. Nov. 2010. c.208p. tr. from German by Krishna Winston. ISBN 9780547245034. $23. F
Originally written in 2008 and translated here into English for the first time, this work continues Grass's attempt to capture his autobiography in fiction. His first, Beim Häuten der Zwiebel (Peeling the Onion), describes his life before literary fame, from his preteen years to his thirties. Here, he is in his eighties, reconstructing his life through the memories of his eight children. The children use family photographs to foster memory and mediate the stories of their distant writer-father. The main character in this autobiography is, surprisingly, not Grass but the family photographer, Maria Rama. It is her camera, after which the novel is titled, that proved to be the surrogate constant in the lives of the children, endowed with seemingly magical qualities. VERDICT Heralded by some critics as Grass's finest work, this piece of experimental literature will appeal to his fans while alienating readers unfamiliar with the famed author. As with the majority of Grass's novels, the simplicity of the prose makes for quick reading but leaves the reader with more questions than answers. Recommended for those interested in magical realism along the lines of Gabriel García Márquez and Jorge Luis Borges. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/10.]—Joshua Finnell, Denison Univ. Lib., Granville, OH
Hellenga, Robert. Snakewoman of Little Egypt. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. Sept. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 9781608192625. $25. F
Jackson Jones, a 40-year-old anthropology professor in Illinois, is recovering from Lyme disease and awaiting the arrival of his late hired hand's niece, who is moving into her uncle's garage apartment. Willa Fern (who presciently renames herself Sunny) found six years of prison preferable to her nightmarish marriage to Earl, the husband she shot for forcing her to put her hand in a box of rattlesnakes. As pastor of the Church of the Burning Bush with Signs Following, Earl believes with his followers in the wildly dangerous practice of religious snake handling, and the local police generally look the other way. As the inevitable romance between Sunny and Jackson heats up, they become more and more immersed in each other's lives. Sunny enrolls in college and thrives, while Jackson, who did fieldwork in the Congo and fathered a child there, is befriended by Earl and begins an anthropological study of Sunny's ex-church with shocking results. VERDICT Hellenga (The Sixteen Pleasures) mesmerizes with this brainy study of snakes and snake-handling churches, love, independence, and, yes, even the power of timpani drumming. Another flawless performance.—Beth E. Andersen, Ann Arbor Dist. Lib., MI
Hemmi, Yo. Gush. Counterpoint. Sept. 2010. c.192p. tr. from Japanese by Giles Murray. ISBN 9781582436258. $25; ISBN 9781582436265. pap. $14.95. F
If the eponymous story of this three-novella collection by prestigious Akutagawa Prize winner Hemmi seems familiar, that's because both Cannes and Toronto film festivals screened the celluloid version in 2001 with a more literal translation of the Japanese title, Warm Water Under a Red Bridge, helmed by legendary director Shohei Imamura. In the original story, an unsuccessful insurance salesman becomes involved with a young woman who has a uniquely bothersome condition that causes her to fill with water; draining relief happens only when she performs "shameful" acts, like shoplifting pungent cheese and having sex. In "Night Caravan," a befuddled man journeys in midnight darkness from a Hanoi bar with two prostitutes, their abusive pimp, and glowing lice toward the promise of a "nice hotel." In "Piano Wire," first the pet duck then the duck's human family are saved from their own cluttered lives by a former Tokyo veterinarian. VERDICT Because of their high bizarre factor, these stories lack lasting depth and ultimately prove unremarkable. Haruki Murakami, Ryu Murakami, or Takeshi Kitano will offer readers more literary fulfillment.—Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC
Hickam, Homer. The Dinosaur Hunter. Thomas Dunne Bks: St. Martin's. Nov. 2010. c.320p. ISBN 9780312383787. $25.99. F
Former Los Angeles police detective–turned–Montana cowboy Mike Wire is enjoying the quiet life on the Square C ranch until the arrival of the titular paleontologist. The scientist's zeal impresses the ranch's owner, widow Jeanette Coulter, who allows him to hunt for T. rex bones, much to Mike's surprise. The mysteries begin with cattle killings and strange engine noises at night, and soon more newcomers appear, including a retired Hollywood producer and his heavily tattooed Russian friend. Environmental activists and government land agents add to the suspect pool, and when a murder occurs at the county Fourth of July party, Mike is forced to combine his skill sets to discover the truth and protect those he cares about. VERDICT Details of cattle ranching, paleontological fieldwork, and small-town life all combine to heighten the realism and suspense in Hickam's (Rocket Boys) latest book, which should appeal to lovers of mysteries and the West.—Dan Forrest, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green
Hinnefeld, Joyce. Stranger Here Below. Unbridled. Oct. 2010. c.288p. ISBN 9781609530044. $24.95. F
Hinnefeld's second novel (after In Hovering Flight) begins with a letter from Maze Whitman to her former Berea College roommate Mary Elizabeth (M.E.) Cox. Maze regrets that they have lost touch, particularly because of the circle of women important to them both. At the center of their lives is Georgia Fenley Ward, a tall, large-boned, defiant Quaker woman. When Sister Georgia was 16, she fell in love with a black man, and her father sent her to Kentucky to teach at Berea College. Still there 60 years later, she meets Maze, a spirited, unconventional girl who finds nothing unusual about rooming with M.E., a musically talented black girl. Maze then meets Harris Whitman, a furniture maker and activist, and by 1963, Maze and Harris join M.E., Sister Georgia, and four others as squatters at an old Shaker inn. They are soon evicted, and they are all sent back into a world in turmoil. VERDICT This is a multigenerational novel spanning decades rich in history, but ordinary women, who suffer from life's challenges and keep secrets, are at the heart of the story. Recommended for its wide appeal to readers seeking thoughtful, well-written fiction.—Donna Bettencourt, Mesa Cty. P.L., CO
Hoffman, Chandra. Chosen. Harper: HarperCollins. Sept. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 9780061974298. $25.99. F
The Chosen Child Agency specializes in private adoptions between well-to-do couples and birth parents from the wrong side of the tracks. Social worker Chloe Pinter handles clients who are rapidly causing her to lose her idealism, such as the case matching the wealthy McAdoos with ex-cons Penny and Jason. Chloe must field spoiled Francie McAdoo's incessant complaints while deflecting the desperate demands of Jason and simultaneously navigating between a failing relationship with her surf bum boyfriend and a simmering attraction to a former client whose wife has just given birth. When a child goes missing, the lives of all the characters collide in a gripping denouement that raises serious questions about the adoption process. VERDICT Debut novelist Hoffman, who has worked as an orphanage relief worker and headed up a domestic adoption program, has written a page-turner that rings true. Despite technical flaws (Francie is too whiny and Jason too skanky to be truly sympathetic), this engrossing read will appeal to fans of domestic fiction luminaries Jodi Picoult, Sue Miller, and Chris Bohjalian.—Jeanne Bogino, New Lebanon Lib., NY
Horack, Skip. The Eden Hunter. Counterpoint. Sept. 2010. c.336p. ISBN 9781582436098. pap. $15.95. F
Kau is a pygmy tribesman forced into slavery from his African home at the turn of the 19th century. After five years, he escapes into the Florida wilds, leaving his mentor and fellow slave, Samuel, and his slave master's son, Benjamin, with whom he has developed a kinship. Kau intends to live in nature, as he did as a member of the Ota tribe in Africa. Eventually, after numerous encounters along the way, Kau comes across a British fort on the Apalachicola River given to former slaves who were fighting along with the British during the War of 1812. Garçon, who has declared himself the general, takes Kau into their encampment. They intend to hold off the Americans who eventually attack the fort while Kau attempts to leave with others before imminent peril. VERDICT Horack follows up The Southern Cross, a collection of short stories, with a visceral and authentic account of a distinctive character and his quest for freedom. For some readers, this work may bring to mind Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain or Toni Morrison's Beloved.—Cristella Bond, Anderson P.L., IN
Jebreal, Rula. Miral. Penguin. Oct. 2010. c.320p. tr. from Italian by John Cullen. ISBN 9780143116196. pap. $15. F
Many of us understand the motives of both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but neglect the stories of the individuals involved. Here, Palestinian-born Jebreal, now a leading Italian journalist, shares the realities of these people—the objectified woman who fights for independence, the intellectual who takes up the pen instead of guns only to meet an untimely death, the young woman who chooses marriage over university. The novel opens with the story of Hind Husseini, who in 1948 finds 55 children abandoned after the first Arab-Israeli war and opens a school. One of her brightest students, Miral, finds herself at the center of the ongoing conflict and increasingly drawn to join the intifada. Jebreal's refusal to categorize her characters as angelic or evil is refreshing; she simply demonstrates that each acts according to circumstances. However, the narrative reads more like nonfiction than fiction; Jebreal seems to tell, not show, readers the emotions and desires of the people who drive her novel. VERDICT With a narrative style that recalls Chico Buarque's Budapest, this work will appeal to lovers of political fiction, particularly when focused on the Arabic world. The novel is soon to be a major motion picture directed by Julian Schnabel, which testifies to its relevance.—Ashanti White, Univ. of North Carolina, Greensboro
Kane, Jessica Francis. The Report. Graywolf. Sept. 2010. c.256p. ISBN 9781555975654. pap. $15. F
Kane's first novel (after the short story collection Bending Heaven) revolves around the real-life Bethnal Green tube station disaster that occurred in London during World War II and claimed the lives of 173 people—the largest civilian accident of the war in Britain on a night when no bombs were dropped on the city. Trying to make sense of how so many people could die of asphyxiation on a stairway shelter, Kane creates a story whose characters are themselves either part of the accident or were involved in making follow-up inquiries. Laurence (Laurie) Dunn is the magistrate appointed to investigate and write the accident report within a short time of its occurrence. After 30 years, Paul Barber, a young filmmaker making a subsequent documentary about the tragedy, tracks down Laurie to interview him. Others who figure prominently are Ada Barber and her daughter, Tillie, two survivors of the accident. Weaving together the socioeconomic factors of London's East End, the weariness of war and refugee displacement, and the personalities of the various locals, this work of historical fiction implies that in times of peril there are sometimes no safe havens. VERDICT Kane keeps the reader consistently interested as fact and speculation evocatively intertwine. Highly recommended.—M. Neville, Trenton P.L., NJ
Kehlmann, Daniel. Fame: A Novel in Nine Episodes. Pantheon. Sept. 2010. c.192p. tr. from German by Carol Janeway. ISBN 9780307378712. $24. F
This short novel by German/Austrian author Kehlmann (Measuring the World) is a literary polyptych, a collection of stories that could be appreciated independently but actually are centered on the main episode, "Replying to the Abbess." In this story, the world's most famous self-help writer, who hasn't seen his children from his second marriage in more than a year, is amused that the United Nations wants to give him a prestigious award; he writes a truly offensive letter to a nun, contradicting everything he's published and denying all hope, goodness, and beauty. Reviewing the slums outside of Rio de Janeiro from his penthouse, arms outstretched like the nearby Christ the Redeemer statue, he imagines that he could become a truly great man if he dashes the hopes of his followers by shooting himself in the head with the pistol he regularly points at himself. VERDICT The characters in all of these stories wrestle with fame: some have it but don't want it or don't appreciate it, while others who don't have it desperately want it. The result is an engrossing, complex, and humorous work that reminds us we're all connected, even though we often don't notice it. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/10.]—K.H. Cumiskey, Duke Univ Libs., Durham, NC
Kluge, P.F. A Call from Jersey. Overlook, dist. by Penguin Group (USA). Sept. 2010. c.336p. ISBN 9781590203613. $25.95. F
Judging from pop culture, you might think that all the immigrants to New Jersey came from Italy. Kluge (Eddie and the Cruisers) corrects this misconception with a sympathetic story about German immigrants to the Garden State. The novel alternates between the voice of Hans Greifinger, who comes to America in the early 1930s, and that of his son, George, a travel writer who changes his last name to Griffin. George is a disappointment to his widowed father, who considers his son's work second-rate. The novel is set in 1984, as George comes home to attend his 20-year high school reunion. Unfortunately, Hans's story of becoming an American, especially during the war, is far more compelling than George's more recent history. VERDICT Both male and female readers might enjoy this novel, but its target audience consists of baby boomers over 60. It does have a dated feel and would have packed more punch had it been published 25 years ago.—Leslie Patterson, Rehoboth, MA
Laferrière, Dany. Heading South. Douglas & McIntyre, dist. by PGW. Sept. 2010. c.211p. tr. from French by Wayne Grady. ISBN 9781553654833. pap. $17.95. F
Set in Haiti, this collection of interrelated stories largely features young men making sexual conquests of various women, some older, some white tourists, some above the men's social rank but all helpless victims of a magical macho spell. A recurring character is Fanfan, who toys with and then conquers the headmistress of his sister's school. Another young man, Charlie, seduces the snobby niece of the ambassador who employs his parents as domestics. In one section, a French journalist is wed in a voodoo ceremony to the god Legba, who appears elsewhere as the lover of a religious woman from Georgia. He winds up dead on the beach, as other characters present various versions of having met him. This story is left unresolved, and other, similar tales are begun, each emphasizing physical sensuality and emotional complications; the deeper cultural and political currents are evident but understated. VERDICT Deftly presented, this evocation of a sultry, seamy island paradise serves as the literary counterpart of the joyous, funky music of Haiti and the paintings of its "naive" school of artists, who present exaggerated figures in a rough and brightly colored world. Recommended for anyone who would like to heed that magic.—Jim Coan, SUNY Coll. at Oneonta Lib.
Lawton, John. A Lily of the Field. Atlantic Monthly. Oct. 2010. c.400p. ISBN 9780802119568. $24. F
This is Lawton's seventh Inspector Troy novel (after Second Violin), but chronologically it is the third in the series. In 1934 Vienna, ten-year-old Meret Voytek becomes the cello protégé of Victor Rosen. Rosen flees to London ahead of the Nazis, but Meret remains, rising in musical circles until the Germans send her to Auschwitz in 1944 to play in the camp orchestra. The Soviets rescue her only to blackmail her and send her to London as a spy. Meret collaborates with Rosen and Hungarian physicist Karel Szabo, who's working with Robert Oppenheimer on the atomic bomb project. Troy enters the picture in 1946 when a murder investigation leads him to Rosen, Meret, and their musical performance code. Throughout this series, Lawton skillfully portrays the mood and stark reality of Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, from concentration camp to freedom in London, from prewar glitter to postwar dreariness and rationing. VERDICT Legitimately compared to John Le Carré (although Alan Furst and Philip Kerr fans might enjoy him as well), Lawton vividly limns a world weariness contrasted with earth-shaking historical events, all the while unraveling a complex and compelling mystery that will not be quickly forgotten. Highly recommended.—Roland Person, formerly with Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale
Le Carré, John. Our Kind of Traitor. Viking. Oct. 2010. c.306p. ISBN 9780670022243. $27.95. F
Le Carré (A Most Wanted Man) launches his latest exploration into the dodgy world of espionage on a surprisingly cozy note. An attractive couple vacationing in Antigua meet Dima, a hale and hearty Russian businessman, and his charming children. Tennis, then parties, and soon Perry and Gail are trusted companions of the family. Shockingly, Dima asks Perry to be his negotiator with British intelligence. The payload? Dima is a world-class money launderer and can reveal embarrassing and compromising deals at the highest (and lowest) levels of the world's financial brotherhoods. In his inimitable and engrossing way, Le Carré put us right at the 50-yard line of the ensuing desperate brawl as the Brits fight to control this asset. VERDICT As fresh as this morning's dish on Twitter and as nerve-racking as the evening news, this novel is sure to thrill faithful fans and attract newcomers to Le Carré's considerable list of 21 previous novels. A sure bet for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/10.]—Barbara Conaty, Falls Church, VA
Leavitt, Caroline. Pictures of You. Algonquin. Jan. 2011. c.336p. ISBN 9781565126312. pap. $13.95. F
Leavitt's ninth novel (after Girls in Trouble) opens with a tragic and eerie car accident. Two women from the same small Cape Cod town collide on a foggy road one morning. Both were leaving their husbands, but only one, Isabelle, survives. Another survivor is the other's severely asthmatic nine-year-old son, also in the accident. He witnesses what he believes to be an angel at the crash—Isabelle. Leavitt tells a compelling story of how the two survivors' lives entwine, partly because of the boy's desire to talk with Isabelle about his mother. Leavitt's characters and their problems feel very real, and readers will want to know more about them. Despite all this, the angel trope peppered throughout feels forced and unnecessary, and the plot becomes somewhat predictable; the second half of the book is also significantly weaker than the first. VERDICT This is an entertaining read and a wonderful story, but it doesn't cover any new literary ground. Recommended for fans of women's fiction.—Shalini Miskelly, Seattle
Lin, Tao. Richard Yates. Melville House. Sept. 2010. c.208p. index. ISBN 9781935554158. pap. $14.95. F
In this experimental work named after a novelist, the debt owed to Yates comes mostly in terms of theme—with its broken homes and eating disorders it updates the suburban ennui of an earlier generation. Lin (Shoplifting from American Apparel) presents the story of a relationship between a 22-year-old New York writer (Haley Joel Osment) and a troubled, underage New Jersey high school girl (Dakota Fanning)—a relationship that takes place as much by email and chat as it does face to face. For all of the publisher's attempts to promote the novel as a provocative tale of illicit love, the couple's relationship is striking mostly for its sheer ordinariness. It's not helped by the stilted, deadpan mode of speech the characters often employ, which tends to distance the reader. VERDICT Lin appears to be trying to make points about identity, the media-fueled myths people create of their lives, and the existential emptiness of the suburbs but seems unwilling or unable to develop any of these ideas. More gimmicky than insightful, this work leaves the reader ultimately wondering what the point is.—Lawrence Rungren, Merrimack Valley Lib. Consortium, North Andover, MA
Martin, Steve. An Object of Beauty. Grand Central. Nov. 2010. illus. ISBN 9780446573641. $26.99. F
The multitalented comedian, musician, and author of The Pleasure of My Company examines the New York fine arts scene from its late-1990s heyday to the present. Lacey Yeager is an up-and-coming art dealer who uses her beauty, ingenuity, and lack of social conscience to rise from lowly Sotheby's staffer to owner of an exclusive gallery. Daniel Franks, a mild-mannered freelance art writer and Lacey's one-time lover, chronicles her calculated transformation much like Nick Carraway does with Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby—as an outsider, fascinated by an enigmatic woman whom Daniel describes as "curiously, disturbingly guilt-free." VERDICT While the ending is abrupt and unsatisfying and the character of Daniel is marginally pathetic, Lacey is an intriguing puzzle. Some readers may be shocked at the vulgar language and frank sexuality; others will find it honest. Plates of paintings mentioned in the text are a welcome addition. Martin's celebrity alone is reason to purchase this title; his agile musings on art and the business of art will give book clubs much to discuss. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/10.]—Christine Perkins, Bellingham P.L., WA
Persson, Leif GW. Between Summer's Longing and Winter's End: The Story of a Crime. Pantheon. Sept. 2010. c.560p. tr. from Swedish by Paul Norlen. ISBN 9780307377456. $27.95. F
At first glance, this novel appears to be nothing more than a detail-driven police procedural of the type Swedes have in recent years proven they do so well. Then it veers offtrack. It becomes something possibly unique in modern crime fiction: a dark, dark comedy of crossed purposes, mistakes, and misunderstandings that result, almost coincidentally, in the assassination of a prime minister—Olaf Palme—in 1986. The story starts with the apparent suicide of an American journalist. A good cop, Johansson, refuses to accept the verdict of suicide and presses for further answers. Security head Berg, on the other hand, doesn't want to hear the truth: all he cares about is his own career. And his subordinate Waltin is a monster whose actions set in motion horrible deeds. Around them circles a web of bullies, incompetents, and place seekers who create a tissue of half-truths that ultimately results in two deaths. This is a grim story, though leavened by Persson's gallows humor. VERDICT This exceptional novel, the first of a trilogy by Sweden's top psychological profiler and foremost expert on crime, starts slowly but never stops building. It merits a wide audience.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA
Poyer, David. Ghosting. St. Martin's. Nov. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 9780312613020. $24.99. F
Dr. Jack Scales is the cocky novice captain of a newly purchased, high-end yacht not designed for ocean travel. With little seamanship experience, he takes his dysfunctional family on a weeklong sail from Long Island to Bermuda. His wife is on the cusp of leaving him for a younger lover; his bipolar son, Rick, stops taking his medication, and the voices in his head get louder; and Haley is a rebellious teenager who just wants to get this vacation over with. As they leave, a dark omen begins the trip in peril, and the family must unite to survive a vicious storm. Celebrating their narrow escape, they find a man adrift who leads them to a ring of drug smugglers who will do anything to take over the yacht. VERDICT In a change of pace from his Dan Lenson naval technothrillers (e.g., The Weapon), Poyer draws on his nautical expertise to create a thrilling and disturbing portrait of what people will do when they have nothing else to lose. This dynamic sea thriller casts plot twists, conflict, and fear into the dark waves of uncertainty and will appeal to fans of Charles Williams's Dead Calm.—Ron Samul, New London, CT
Raybourn, Deanna. Dark Road to Darjeeling. Mira: Harlequin. Oct. 2010. c.400p. ISBN 9780778328209. pap. $14.95. F
It's 1889. Lord Nicholas and Lady Julia Brisbane are in Egypt, the last stop on their wedding trip, when Julia's siblings, Plum and Portia, appear. Portia would like Brisbane to assist her dear friend Jane by investigating the death of Jane's husband, Freddie Cavendish. Freddie was a wastrel, but his death will allow someone to inherit a valuable tea garden at the foothills of the Himalayas. If Freddie was murdered, could the next victim be Jane or the baby she carries? In such a small community in a faraway place called Valley of Eden, can the search for knowledge uncover anything but painful secrets? VERDICT Fans eagerly awaiting the newest Lady Julia Grey novel (after Silent on the Moor) will be thrilled by the chance to continue their acquaintance with these evermore endearing characters, foibles and all, and the mystery is peppered with plenty of intriguing misdirections that allow a number of secondary story lines to blossom. A great choice for readers of historical fiction, mystery, or romance.—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH
Reimringer, John. Vestments. Milkweed. Sept. 2010. c.432p. ISBN 9781571310804. $25. F
This intensely personal debut novel about a priest's fall from grace details the confusing life of an idealistic young man who belongs to a violent, hard-drinking, working-class family. Set in St. Paul, it tells the story of young James Dressler, exploring the experiences that lead him to the priesthood. The plot artfully unveils James's life through a series of flashbacks; James's reverently irreverent, violent, and alcoholic father provides a gripping emotional context, and the descriptions of the geography and history of St. Paul add a useful backdrop. Particularly satisfying are the descriptions of parish priests and how they bond together to support one another in their isolation. As Reimringer describes James's struggles, it seems a far-fetched notion that the young priest will not succumb to his urges, but he comes across as a genuine human being. VERDICT Holden Caulfield meets Colleen McCullough's The Thorn Birds with some Bukowski on the side, this is a compelling tale that provides a little-seen, interior, first-person point of view of the priesthood. For all readers interested in inner conflict.—Henry Bankhead, Los Gatos Lib., CA
Rice, Anne. Of Love and Evil. Knopf. (Songs of the Seraphim). Dec. 2010. c.160p. ISBN 9781400043545. $24.95. F
Former assassin Toby O'Dare (introduced in Angel Time) takes on his second mission to return to the past to right particular wrongs with the angel Malchiah. Here, he is called to 15th-century Rome to save a Jewish doctor from charges of witchcraft and murder. While in Rome he struggles with recent events in his present-day life: he just met a son whom he never knew he had. Although Toby is aware that his years as an assassin could come back to haunt him, he is shocked when his past quite literally catches up with him on the streets of New York City. Rice works the themes of past and present beautifully, weaving tale upon tale. This book improves on its predecessor by giving Toby a history and characters to care about. VERDICT This metaphysical thriller will appeal to historical fiction fans and Christian fiction readers, but it still feels a little flat and will disappoint fans of Rice's vampire fiction. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/10; Rice recently announced on Facebook that she's no longer a Christian but will continue her metaphysical series about angels.]—Amanda Scott, Cambridge Springs P.L., PA
Scudamore, James. Heliopolis. Europa, dist. by Penguin. Nov. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 9781933372730. pap. $15. F
This is a brave and captivating novel about a potentially dry, academic subject—economic inequality—which Scudamore (The Amnesia Clinic) brings vividly to life. The setting is São Paulo, Brazil, where slums and sprawling shantytowns abut glittering office towers and extraordinary affluence. Drug lords run the ghetto and provide social services, security, and their own form of justice. The wealthy fly above the fray in their helicopters, landing in their gated and heavily fortified communities, seldom acknowledging the poverty below. Protagonist Ludo is a conflicted character who bridges these two worlds; as a young boy, he was rescued from the slums and adopted by a rich businessman and his wife. VERDICT This ambitious novel is built around a vital question—How should we live in the face of such devastating poverty?—and it is to Scudamore's credit that he both asks it and then engages it with great sympathy, courage, and intelligence. The result is a richly detailed, beautifully executed work that should move readers deeply.—Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT
Shors, John. The Wishing Trees. NAL: Penguin Group (USA). Sept. 2010. c.384p. ISBN 9780451231130. pap. $15. F
Shors's fourth novel (after Dragon House) begins with the maudlin plot of a widower fulfilling his wife's last wish. A dying Kate writes her husband, Ian, and daughter, Mattie, and asks them to travel across Asia without her, on the trip she had planned to take. Father and daughter journey across the continent, encountering internal and physical conflicts while remembering Kate and opening little notes she wrote for each destination. They also see wishing trees where people tie desires and prayers on pieces of paper in the hopes they will be answered; Ian and Mattie use them to communicate with Kate. VERDICT This novel might initially appeal to fans of Nicholas Sparks, but it does not live up to Sparks's standard of a good if predictable romance. Treacle, from the sappy plot to the unbelievable dialog.—Shalini Miskelly, Seattle
Stefaniak, Mary Helen. The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia. Norton. Sept. 2010. c.352p. ISBN 9780393063103. $24.95. F
In 1938, a new teacher came to the one-room schoolhouse in Threestep, GA, courtesy of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The story of Miss Grace Spivey, who was educated in France and at Barnard College and traveled in Africa and the Near East, is told by thoroughly entranced 11-year-old Gladys Cailiff. Miss Spivey uses Sir Richard F. Burton's ten-volume The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night as her primary textbook. After a successful Halloween event, held a day early so as not to conflict with the activities of the "Ku Klucks," Miss Spivey even manages a full-fledged Baghdad Bazaar, complete with camels. If that's not enough, she is seen spending her free time educating the local black children, including mechanically gifted Theo Boykin, who creates the special effects for the bazaar. Gladys's young voice is perfect for showing how folks thrive and struggle when such a force enters the mainstream, as she herself questions where the lines are drawn and how easily they can be shifted. VERDICT Though set a generation later and in a different sociological stratum, this new work by Stefaniak (The Turk and My Mother) should appeal to fans of Kathryn Stockett's The Help. Highly recommended.—Debbie Bogenschutz, Cincinnati State Technical & Community Coll. Lib.
Wallace, Nicolle. Eighteen Acres. Atria: S. & S. Oct. 2010. c.336p. ISBN 9781439194829. $25. F
Imagine the Republican Party winning the 45th presidency and also making history by inaugurating the first woman President. In her debut novel, Wallace capably visualizes this scenario while infusing the story with the richness of her professional experiences as political commentator, White House communications director under George W. Bush, and adviser to the campaigns of John McCain and Sarah Palin. President Charlotte Kramer is well served by her highly competent chief of staff, Melanie Kingston, as she faces a tough economy, the rigors of the Afghanistan war, low poll numbers, daunting reelection prospects, and a disintegrating marriage. Equally entertaining to envision is how a "First Man" might fare. Mr. Kramer, an entrepreneurial agent for NFL athletes, maintains his own schedule, lives in separate quarters, spends quality time with their teenage twins, and, feeling increasingly distanced from his spouse, falls in love with a young, bright, and ambitious White House correspondent. VERDICT An insider's politically balanced view into the 18 acres of the White House, its politics, and the intriguing affairs of state. A must for political junkies and fans of political fiction.—Sheila Riley, Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, DC
Short Stories
The Black Lizard Big Book of Black Mask Stories. Vintage: Random. Sept. 2010. c.1136p. ed. by Otto Penzler. illus. ISBN 9780307455437. $25. F
Though this is not the first collection drawn from the pages of yesteryear's Black Mask magazine, Edgar Award–winning mystery editor, publisher, and bookstore owner Penzler declares that "it is the biggest and most comprehensive." He's not kidding! Launched by H.L. Mencken and George Jean Nathan in the 1920s, Black Mask would springboard the careers of a handful of writers, raising the level of penny dreadful pulp mysteries to that of literature, while also publishing plenty of quickly hacked-out swill. This gathers the cream produced by legends like Dashiell Hammett (the godfather of hard-boiled detective fiction), Erle Stanley Gardner, Raymond Chandler, Carroll John Daly, Cornell Woolrich, and other aces. There are more than 50 stories in all, including "The Maltese Falcon" (the original serialized version, which differs from the published novel, is reproduced here for the first time since its initial 1929 publication), Chandler's "Try the Girl" (which, ultimately, became Farewell, My Lovely), and Horace McCoy's "Dirty Work." Each author receives a brief bio and the stories sport original artwork—it's a complete education on vintage crime mysteries between two covers. VERDICT A hefty hunk of hard-boiled heaven and a noir lover's dream, this will thrill the genre's many fans.—Mike Rogers, Library Journal
Evans, Danielle. Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self. Riverhead: Penguin Group (USA). Sept. 2010. c.240p. ISBN 9781594487699. $25.95. F
This debut collection is contemporary, powerful, and very real. While race is a factor throughout, with biracial characters, mixed-race romantic relationships, and plenty of interaction among people of different ethnicities, it remains subsidiary to themes like family relationships, romantic attachments, coming-of-age, belonging, and searching or yearning for direction in life. In "Virgins," for instance, two teenage best friends both share and compete until one gets just a bit ahead with a boy. In "Snakes," nine-year-old Allison and her adoptive sister summer with their grandmother, contending with her strict rules and the legacy of their mom. A broad cast of characters fills these pages, from working class to privileged, from modest to exceptional, including a high school valedictorian, Ivy League students, professors, and successful businesspeople. "Jellyfish" captures the range, featuring a man finally moving from Harlem to Brooklyn when his roof caves in, who's late for lunch as always with his conscientious artist daughter. VERDICT A smartly written and enjoyable collection from an up-and-coming author; particularly recommended for those interested in contemporary relationships in our increasingly diverse and global society.—Sarah Conrad Weisman, Corning Community Coll. Lib., NY
Hamby, Barbara. Lester Higata's 20th Century. Univ. of Iowa. Oct. 2010. c.184p. bibliog. ISBN 9781587299186. pap. $16. F
This collection of 12 linked stories, winner of the 2010 John Simmons Short Fiction Award, begins in 1999 with Lester Higata talking to a vision of his dead father, a sure premonition of his own death from lung cancer. Lester soon joins his father, and the stories about his Honolulu friends and family begin. Mr. Manago treasures his mango trees, but when he falls ill, his shallow son, Roland, destroys them and paves over the lot. Lester's son, Paul, helps rebuild the Imamoto family house after a fierce tropical storm. The Imamotos never knew their neighbors until the remodeling brings everyone out to help. The last story takes place in 1946, the year Lester's life really begins. That's when he meets his future wife, Katherine, at a military hospital while recuperating from a war wound. Poet Hamby fills her stories with humor as well as compassion both for the older generation, which continues to practice traditional Japanese and Hawaiian customs, and for the rudderless younger Hawaiians. VERDICT Readers who enjoy diversity and the enchantment of thoughtful storytelling will appreciate these family-centered stories steeped in the history, lore, and magic of Hawaii. Essential and enthusiastically recommended.—Donna Bettencourt, Mesa Cty. P.L., Grand Junction, CO
Schmitt, Eric-Emmanuel. The Woman with the Bouquet. Europa, dist. by Penguin. Sept. 2010. c.224p. tr. from French by Alison Anderson. ISBN 9781933372815. pap. $15. F
Prolific and celebrated French dramatist and fiction writer Schmitt (Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran) has had his work translated into more than 40 languages. He has explored an impressively diverse range of themes during his career, which has included the publication of several books that focus on major religions. This excellent new collection of short fiction centers on the grand but problematic nature of love. "The Dreamer from Ostend," for example, is a beautifully realized story about a passionate but tragically short-lived love affair, which reads like a fairy tale (forbidden love, a prince, a beautiful young woman surreptitiously schooled in the art of love by a madam at her father's brothel in the Congo). "Getting Better" is a poignant story about an awakening—a blind hospital patient convinces a meek and unassuming nurse that she is beautiful. Schmitt engages his subject here with considerable psychological depth and sophistication. VERDICT Enthusiastically recommended for readers of literary fiction.—Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT
Horror
Del Toro, Guillermo & Chuck Hogan. The Fall. Morrow. (The Strain Trilogy, Bk. 2). Oct. 2010. c.320p. ISBN 9780061558221. $26.99. HORROR
The writer/director of Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy and Hogan pair up again for the follow-up to their best-selling debut, The Strain. A vampiric virus has conquered New York City and threatens to spread across the country and around the world. CDC team leader Eph Goodweather takes to the streets to combat these savage creatures who are locked in their own war. The Old World Ancients are raging against the New World vampires in a grudge match to dominate the planet. Driving this conflict is the Master, a clever and astute orchestrator of chaos. VERDICT Fast-paced, action-packed, and even better than the first volume, this fun and scary read is highly recommended for thriller and horror fans. Newcomers to the trilogy will have no trouble following the story line. Buy multiple copies. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/10.]—Carolann Curry, Mercer Univ. Medical Lib., Macon, GA
Lindqvist, John Ajvide. Handling the Undead. Thomas Dunne Bks: St. Martin's. Oct. 2010. c.384p. ISBN 9780312605254. $24.99. HORROR
In Stockholm, the power grid has gone mad, and in the wake of an odd power surge, the recently dead reawaken. In the confusion, a grandfather waits excitedly to see whether his grandson will return, and a husband is horrified at his beloved wife's reanimation. At turns funny and macabre, this second novel by the best-selling Swedish author of Let the Right One In gives horror readers a new twist on an old trope, asking us how far we might go for love, what happens when those we lose want to come home again, and at what point we let go of our dead. VERDICT Horror fans will love the fresh take on the old zombie story, and paranormal fiction fans will appreciate the psychological thrill of exploring where love and death collide. At the top of his game, Lindqvist gives Stephen King and John Saul at their best a run for the money. [The U.S. remake of the Swedish film adaptation of Let the Right One In will be released this October as Let Me In.—Ed.]—Colleen S. Harris, Univ. of Tennessee at Chattanooga Libs.
