The Body in the Wardrobe by Katherine Hall Page

I've said it before but yes, this is yet another one of my favorite authors. If you've never read her books and you like light mystery, you may want to try her writing. The main character in her books is Faith Fairchild. Faith is a caterer and part-time sleuth. She is married to a minister and lives in Maine. One of her best friends is Sophia who is the main character in this book.

Sophie has recently moved to Savannah, Georgia to live with her new husband Will. Will is a private investigator who, because of the nature of his work, does not discuss any of the cases he is working on. Sophie has a great deal of difficulty acclimating herself to life in the South. Besides the climate change, she finds it difficult to immerse herself in southern society and her early attempts to assimilate prove to be less than pleasant.

Unknown to Sophie, Will is embroiled in a sensitive case which hits close to home. Unable to communicate with anyone, Will finds himself in a precarious predicament. Faith and Sophie use all their assets to help him.

In addition to the story, this book is filled with interesting and simple southern recipes.

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The Miracle on Monhegan Island by Elizabeth Kelly

An eccentric novel about a family living on Monhegan Island which is actually located off the coast of Maine.

The story opens from the viewpoint of a small dog who has just been stolen by a stranger. The story continues being told as humans interact with occasionaly snippets by the dog. The story surrounds a young boy named Hally (Halleluia for short). His grandad is a preacher who has fallen under some scrutiny by the authorities. His dad has been estranged from the family for quite some time and returns (stolen dog in hand) to reconnect. All members of the family struggle to keep day-to-day life moving in a positive fashion.

The island receives much attention due to the fact that Hally experiences seeing an apparition which he believes is the Virgin Mary. Along with the increase in population comes people who invade Hally's life and put him in a precarious situation.

This novel was far from the "blockbuster" adjective given on the book jacket but I did read it to the end.

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Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline

This author has written many novels and I have read most of them. Titles that you may recognize include Look Again, Come Home,and Think Twice. I think this title is one of her best.

The premise of the story is that Christine and her husband Marcus have been trying to have a baby with much difficulty. Eventually, they make the decision to use a donor. Christine becomes pregnant and both she and her husband are overjoyed. One day, while watching television, she sees a news story about a man being arrested as a serial killer. She observes a similarity in the looks of her baby's donor and the man who has been arrested.

Christine and Marcus become involved in lawsuits and investigative work to uncover the truth.Taking the reader through endless interviews and legal approaches, the author motivates the reader to become embroiled in the story line. It was almost a disappointment when the book ended.

There are questions in the back of the book which provide great take-off points for a good discussion.

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The Preachers Wife by Lori Copeland

This story takes place in the late 1800's in the state of Wisconsin on a cranberry farm. The main characters are a young woman named Elly and her boyfriend Bo.

Bo and Elly have been friends since childhood. Their respective families always thought they would get married and continue to work on the farm. Bo leaves town for a while with every intention of returning shortly. However, Bo doesn't return until seven years later.

The later part of the story involves Bo trying to win back Elly's affections in spite of her new love interest Gideon.

This is a quick, light-hearted read.

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Summer at Little Beach Bakery by Jenny Colgan

This is the second book in this series. If you haven't read the first-no worry- the author gives the reader a brief update at the begining of this book. The author has over twelve previous books to her credit.

Polly has set up a baking business in a small coastal town in Cornwall. She has a landlord that is less than pleasant. The landlord retires and Polly manages the operations of two separate stores. The local fisherman and townspeople love her bread-making skills and while the stores do not make her rich, she enjoys the experience. Polly has a new boyfriend and has purchased an old lighthouse to call her home.
Her landlord dies suddenly and the landlord's family moves in to take over the business and forces Polly out. What transpires after the chips are down is the rest of the story.

Of course Neil, the puffin, remains in this story as well. Polly is given advice that Neil's interests would best be served in a sanctuary and Polly gives it much thought.

This, like the first book, is a light-hearted drama which makes for easy reading.

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What We Find by Robyn Carr

Maggie Sullivan is a high profile neurosurgeon who has lost her practice, her boyfriend, and a baby as this story opens. She has hit a wall and decides to escape to the family farm in Colorado where the Continental Divide Trail and the Colorado Trail intersect. Her family owns a general store and she longs for the simple life that being in Sullivan's Crossing offers.

There is no doubt that this story is a romantic adventure but it is also the story of Maggie Sullivan's struggle to determine who she is and where she is going. A comparatively light read that has some challenging events occur as well. Robyn Carr is a fairly prolific writer and while some aspects of this story are "true to form" of her previous work, it has enough going to engage new and old readers alike.

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Private Paris by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan

Having read the previous books in this series, I would have to say this is the most gripping yet. Jack Morgan, former CIA agent and owner of Private has decided to take a vacation in Paris. While there he is contacted by a old friend who asks for Private's aid in locating his granddaughter. The last known address for the granddaughter is located in a unsavory part of Paris. Jack, along with the head of the Paris Agency, embark on a trail to save the granddaughter.

While they are engaged in this endeavor, Paris is under attack by an unknown group. Several notorious people are murdered, bombs are being exploded and the city is in chaos. It takes all the expertise Jack can muster to determine what is happening while trying to protect the young woman.

As usual, a fast-paced thriller.

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Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

This title was published in 2014. It is a first novel for the author. It was recommended to me by a fellow book discussion participant.

Ms. Ng has written a very interesting story. It is all about a family of mixed ethnicities. The husband is of Asian descent, having emigrated to the United States under false pretenses in hopes of a better life. His wife is a southern girl who throws society's concerns out the window when she becomes immersed in the relationship. They marry and have three children. As the story opens one of the children is dead but the family has yet to discover that fact.

The story unfolds and the reader is apprised of many of the things which led up to the daughter's demise. We become acutely aware of the fact that each character is living in their own encapsulated existence, never really revealing to each other what they are thinking.

The ending of the book answers some questions but not all. This book offers each reader an opportunity to look at events from their own perspective which will probably differ from other readers.

A very good book to discuss.

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