Month: October 2024

‘The Night Woods’ by Paula Munier is the 6th dog-filled mystery in the Mercy Carr series

/ Pamela Kramer

In the latest mystery in the Mercy Carr series, “The Night Woods,” main character Mercy and her husband Troy have settled into their new historic home, Grackle Tree Farm, and are waiting for the birth of their first child. Mercy is restless, and as her delivery date nears, she worries more and more about being a mother. Will a baby change her? Will she be unable to continue working and solving murders? Will she be a decent mother? Will her baby be a dainty feminine girl with whom she will have nothing in common? (She’s hoping for a boy.)

Continue reading →

‘Echoes of Us’ by Joy Jordan-Lake is a touching story of friendship and family and sacrifice

/ Pamela Kramer

In “Echoes of Us,” author Joy Jordan-Lake takes us to a small island on the coast of Georgia, where unbeknownst to most Americans, more people died during WWII from German submarines than died at Pearl Harbor from the bombing. St. Simons Island is a charming little place just north of the Florida border. The dual time line of the story, in the present day and during the war, highlights the differences and the similarities of life on the island now and all those years ago.

Continue reading →

‘Cowpuppy’ by Gregory Burns

/ Pamela Kramer

Reading the title of this book, “Cowpuppy,” one might wonder what exactly Gregory Berns is writing about. To really understand this endeavor, you must read the fine print. “Cowpuppy: An Unexpected Friendship and a Scientist’s Journey into the Secret World of Cows” If you aren’t interested in animals, this is not a book for you. If you are worried that this is a book espousing veganism, Berns doesn’t do that, either. In fact, he admits to occasionally eating meat, and he feeds meat to his dogs. But he writes about his cattle from not just a scientist’s point of view, but as a behaviorist. His cows, we learn, are not just farm animals or tools, they are his friends.

Continue reading →

“The More The Terrier” by David Rosenfelt with a really important pooch in addition to a murder

/ Pamela Kramer

In this, the thirtieth entry in David Rosenfelt’s “Andy Carpenter Mystery” series, “The More the Terrier,” the dog, we are happy to report, actually plays an important role in the unfolding of the plot. Murphy, apparently a Yorkie mix, shows up out of nowhere at Andy’s house and is soon recognized as a little guy whom Andy and his family and friends had rescued sometime before his new appearance at their doorstep. They remember the family who had adopted him, and they return him to the Bremers’ home. Mrs. Bremer is thrilled to have him back, yet she is terribly sad. Her son, BJ, has been arrested for murder.

Continue reading →

‘The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern’ by Lynda Cohen Loigman is a tender historical fiction love story

/ Pamela Kramer

Missed opportunities, mistakes, and misunderstandings all combine with marvelous characters, interesting historical context, and a bit of magic to create a novel that takes us from 1922 to 1988, through the eyes of the two main characters. Titular character Augusta Stern, whose nickname Goldie was used only by her beloved Aunt Esther and her childhood friend Irving, has finally retired from her job as a hospital pharmacist. Augusta grew up in New York, has worked there for her whole life, and had no desire to retire.

Continue reading →

‘The Sherlock Society’ by James Ponti is the first novel in a fabulous new middle grade mystery series

/ Pamela Kramer

James Ponti, a New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning children’s author, has just released the first book in a new series, “The Sherlock Society.” Those who have enjoyed his “CIty Spies” series will devour this new series, which is set in Ponti’s home state of Florida. The new series features a brother and sister, Alex and Zoe Sherlock, who start a detective agency to make extra money one summer. Helping them are two of Alex’s friends, Lina and Yadi.

Continue reading →

‘Faker’ by Gordon Korman presents an important moral lesson for middle grade readers

/ Pamela Kramer

It’s always a pleasure to review a book by Gordon Korman, and his latest, “Faker,” is no exception. Korman takes a concept and inserts really likable main characters who are in impossible situations. We really want things to go right, even if we can’t see how that could happen. But then Korman works his literary magic and, by the end, we are thrilled when our main character not only overcomes the problem, but emerges better, happier, and more centered in his world.

Continue reading →

‘The Frindle Files,” a lovely Andrew Clements sequel to the much loved ‘Frindle’

/ Pamela Kramer

Andrew Clements’ recently released sequel to one of the most universally beloved middle grade novels ever published is “The Frindle Files.” “Frindle” has been read, studied, and thoroughly enjoyed by millions of young readers since its 1996 publication. And this sequel, published five years after Clements’ death, stands on its own as a worthy, fine, and funny continuation of its unique predecessor.

Continue reading →

‘An Eye for an Eye’ by Jeffrey Archer is a international thriller filled with intrigue

/ Pamela Kramer

Jeffrey Archer’s newest novel in the William Warwick series is “An Eye for an Eye.” I had no idea when I started the thriller that it was part of a series, but it quickly became clear that the plethora of characters were ones that would be known to regular readers of Archer’s newest series. While I struggled a bit with all the names, the action and the plot were sufficiently intriguing that I wanted to find out what would happen next, and eventually all the different characters crystalized individually in my mind.

Continue reading →