Archived Reviews

The Perfect Gift by Christina Skye is a great book to read over the Christmas holidays. It continues the Draycott Abbey series and features Maggie Kincade, a gifted jewelery designer and Jared MacNeill, the burned out hostage negotiator. Maggie has been selected to display her unique designs at a special Draycott Abbey show. Her father mysteriously disappeared several months ago and is suspected of stealing valuable gems. Jared is hired to protect Maggie from the bad guys searching for her father. Jared is a man of strong integrity and tries to fight the attraction he feels for Maggie. Like other Skye novels it turns out that Jared and Maggie loved in an earlier time but these flashback moments are kept to a minimum and do not disrupt the story. Familiar faces from other Draycott Abbey books make an appearance and once again the ghostly Adrian and cat Gideon do their part to keep Draycott Abbey safe.  Also recommended are Christmas Knight and Season of Wishes, both by Skye taking place during the Christmas season.

Midnight Jewels by Jayne Ann Krentz, written in 1987, is an early book by Krentz in which she begins to use many of the same elements that makes her so popular today.  The heroine is a feisty ex-librarian named Mercy (librarian is also heroine in Perfect Partners) who opens a used bookstore (see bookstore in Deep Waters). Mercy advertises the sale of a rare book of erotica and attracts the attention of a martial arts expert, Croft Falconer. Croft hires himself out on the side and on a previous job thought this book had disappeared in a fire along with its unsavory owner.  Croft’s form of martial arts is unique and precludes Krentz’s use of the water philosophy in Deep Waters and the use of Vanza under her pseudonym Amanda Quick.  Croft is the typical alpha male who is certain he knows what best for Mercy but she has the strength of character to stand up to him and not put up with his martial arts games. The formula of a strong female threatened by danger falling in love with the male hero who comes to her rescue, is one Krentz has used successfully throughout her books but here it is still fresh and fun. There are many moments of humour in the book, and lots of passion. One of Krentz’s best.

The Secret, by Julie Garwood  
I  read somewhere that the first Julie Garwood book you read will always be your favourite Garwood book. The Secret is the first Julie Garwood book I ever read and it is indeed one of my favourites. It is a historical romance, taking place in  the Scottish Highlands. The story revolves around the friendship between Judith and Frances Catherine who meet as children at a summer festival and instantly become friends, not realizing that because Judith is English and Frances Catherine is Scottish they should actually hate each other. When Judith journeys to Scotland to assist her friend who is expecting her first child, Judith is escorted by Iain Maitland, Laird of his clan and brother-in-law to Frances Catherine. Of course there is an instant attraction and Iain must come to terms with loving an Englishwoman. The importance of family and enduring friendship is a constant theme of this book, making it better than your average romance. The title refers to Judith's secret regarding the identity of her father. Overall, The Secret is a fun, feel-good kind of book with just enough conflict to keep it interesting. If you enjoy The Secret, you will also like Saving Grace, The Bride, and Ransom (which features Brodick and Ramsey from The Secret), all by Julie Garwood.

Now You See Her is Linda Howard's second offering in the field of Romantic Suspense, following her successful book Kill and Tell. Paris Sweeney, a talented painter,  suddenly discovers that she can see ghosts and finding this rather disconcerting in a small town, makes the move to New York. She finds herself attracted to Richard Worth, a millionaire and ex-husband of the lady that owns the art gallery that displays Sweeney's paintings. Suddenly Sweeney begins painting bits and pieces in her sleep that gradually form a picture of  a murder scene. Following these sleep painting episodes, Sweeney becomes colder and colder and only Richard can get her warm again. She and Richard join forces to try and discover the murder victim and unmask the killer before the killer can get them. A very exciting story with moments of humour as well as a great love story. 

The Bride Finder by Susan Carroll
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
As tradition dictates, Anatole St. Leger sends out the family bride finder to find him the perfect wife. Tired of London life, Madeline accepts the Bride Finder's offer and journeys to Cornwall to wed the mysterious Anatole. She soon learns her new bridegroom has many secrets including the family sorcerer who haunts the castle and Anatole's own supernatural powers. Further complicating their relationship is the long-time family feud with the Mortmains which threatens both of their lives. This is a magical story, both in its telling and in its elements. The Bride Finder brought Susan Carroll into the forefront as a popular romance author and is the first of a continuing series.

Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod
Mystery

It's Christmas time at Balaclava Agricultural College which means all area houses must be decorated for the "Grand Illumination" to attract paying tourists. Tired of resisting repeated efforts to get him to participate, Professor Peter Shandy hires professionals to decorate his house as a tribute to bad taste and with a "Bah, humbug" departs for a cruise. Upon his return he discovers the body of his best friend's wife in his living room. Authorities agree that it was an accident but when Shandy finds the college's comptroller dead he is convinced that both deaths were not accidental and it is up to him to find the murderer.
      This is a cozy mystery with many comedic characters, such as college co-ed Heidi Hayhoe, and hilarious situations deriving from the blatant commercialism of the Grand Illumination.  MacLeod wrote over 30 novels, including those under the pseudonym Alisa Craig, and Rest You Merry is one of her best.  

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
Children's Fantasy
At the age of thirteen, Maria Merryweather and her governess Miss Heliotrope move in with her nearest living relative, Sir Benjamin Merryweather, due to the death of Maria's father. Maria finds Moonacre manor to be a magical place where dreams come true. She befriends the local animals including the family dog (who turns out to be a lion), a large white hare, a black cat that can write messages in the ashes and a mystical white pony with a horn on its head. When Maria learns that that the actions of an ancestor have caused unhappiness, she is determined to set things right. With the help of an old childhood friend, the local parson and her animal menagerie she is able to restore peace to the village. 
An imaginative, appealing fairy tale where the reader knows that goodness will prevail. The Little White Horse won the Carnegie Medal in 1946 and is reported to be J.K. Rowling's favourite childhood book. 

Booked to Die by John Dunning
Mystery

Cliff Janeway is a homicide cop who also knows books. His current case is the murder of Bobby the book scout with the chief suspect being Jackie Newton due to Jackie's penchant for killing drifters. Frustrated with his lack of success in catching the bad guy, Cliff decides to make a career change and opens his own bookstore. When more murders occur close to home, Cliff is forced to solve the crime.
     Although the mystery portion of the book is riveting right up to the last page, the real fascination lies in the wealth of information about rare book buying and tracking down valuable first editions.
     John Dunning knows the book business as he owned a bookstore in Denver for ten years. Booked to Die won the Nero Wolfe award and luckily has a sequel, The Bookman's Wake.  

Airs above the Ground by Mary Stewart
Romantic Suspense

Vanessa is shocked to see her husband on a newsreel at a circus in Vienna, since he is supposed to be in Stockholm, and decides to investigate. Seizing the opportunity to escort a friend’s teenage son to Vienna, Vanessa quickly discovers the whereabouts of the circus. While looking for her husband, she becomes involved in a mystery surrounding a circus fire, two dead men and a missing Lipizzan horse, and soon finds herself the target of the bad guys.
           With its exotic locations, including a colourful circus and even a castle, combined with the majesty of the Lipizzan horses, this is a charming, entertaining read.
         Born in 1916 Mary Stewart has written numerous novels of contemporary suspense with her most recent and probably final book, Rose Cottage written in 1997. She is best known for her Merlin trilogy beginning with The Crystal Cave, written in 1970 and considered a must read for Arthurian fans. 

Blood Trail by Tanya Huff, 1992
Fantasy

Tanya Huff is a well-known fantasy writer from the Kingston area who since 1986 has published 16 novels and numerous short stories.
      Blood Trail is the second novel of a series of five books featuring Vicki Nelson, former cop and now private investigator, and Henry Fitzroy, historical romance writer by day and vampire by night. Henry asks Vicki to look into two murders that took place at a London, Ontario farm and surprise, surprise the victims just happen to be werewolves! Vicki must rely on Henry's assistance as she suffers from a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, resulting in poor eyesight, and they must combine their talents to discover who is threatening the wer family.
      The familiar London streets and landmarks make this a fun book for Londoners.   

The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith
Fiction (1959)

Miss Peckwitt has been ordered by her doctor to take a long rest in the country. She decides to recuperate in the remote village of Bruach located in the Hebrides where her future landlady writes, “even the sheeps themselves on the hills is lonely.” What follows is a charming and often hilarious account of an Englishwoman’s experience with crofting life and the villager’s unique way of doing things including10 pound dumplings, dancing on soap flakes and a hearse that alternates as a taxi.
           Lillian Beckwith was born in England in 1916 and knows her subject well since she lived in the Hebrides for nearly twenty years. The Hills is Lonely is the first of several books about Miss Peckwitt’s fictional experiences in Bruach.  

Death’s Autograph by Marianne MacDonald
Mystery (1996)

The Eight by Katherine Neville
1988

The Negotiator by Dee Henderson
Inspirational Romantic Suspense (2000)

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
Historic Fiction (1970)

The Crystal Cave is Merlin’s story from boyhood to young man. Born the illegitimate son of a princess from whom he inherited the Sight, Merlin honed his unique talent with the assistance of a hermit living in a nearby cave. Afraid for his life, Merlin runs away from home at age 12 and falls in with the mighty warrior Ambrosius. With his intelligence and magical abilities Merlin becomes an important player in the Roman invasion of England.           A magical, mystical story, this is a must read for Arthur fans. Born in 1916, Mary Stewart has written 20 novels and 3 children’s books. The Crystal Cave is the first in the Merlin Trilogy, followed by The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment. She wrote two more Arthurian books – The Wicked Day, the story of Mordred and The Prince and the Pilgrim.

Stardust of Yesterday by Lynn Kurland
Romance (1996)

If you can overlook the hokey cover, you will discover a really sweet love story.
            Genevieve is a successful house restorer in the U.S. when all of a sudden she starts losing accounts. Almost destitute, her luck changes when she inherits a castle in England -along with a handsome ghost from the 13^th century. Kendrick doesn’t like the idea of sharing his castle and tries to frighten Genevieve away with his ghostly antics. His admiration for Genevieve increases as she refuses to leave and together they try to make their unusual relationship work.
            Lynn Kurland is the author of nine novels and several novellas. Stardust of Yesterday was her first book.  

Pictures of Perfection by Reginald Hill
Mystery (1994)

Superintendant Dalziel and Inspector Pascoe are called in to investigate the disappearance of a local constable in the picture perfect village of Enscombe. But all is not as it appears and in their investigation, Dalziel and Pascoe uncover family feuds and old secrets leading to a bloody climax on the Day of Reckoning when old debts must be paid. This is the 14^th book in the series and is a departure from previous books with its satiric social comment on the devastation to small communities resulting from the Thatcher days. The Dalziel/Pascoe books have been made into a popular television series.
Reginald Hill received Britain's most coveted mystery writers’ award, the Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for lifetime achievement, as well as the Golden Dagger Award for the Dalziel/Pascoe series. He lives with his wife in Cumbria, England.

Kansas Troubles by Earlene Fowler
Mystery (1996)

After a tumultuous courtship, Benni Harper and new husband Police Chief Gabe Ortiz, travel to Kansas to visit his family. At a neighbourhood barbeque, Benni meets Tyler Brown who has renounced her Amish life to become a singer. When Tyler is found murdered, Benni wonders if one of Gabe’s friends did the deed. Benni’s quilt expertise comes in handy when she discovers a clue in a quilt Tyler made.
            Benni is the curator of a folk art museum and equates solving a murder to fitting together pieces of a quilt. Glimpses of Amish culture as well as mention of popular American quilt patterns provide interesting details.
            Earlene Fowler has written 10 books in the Benni Harper series of which Kansas Troubles is the third. All the books have titles referring to quilting patterns.  

Someone is burning down historic houses in Tinker’s Cove, Maine and makes the mistake of torching a house with the owner still inside. Amateur sleuth and housewife Lucy Stone worries that her historic home will become a target and decides to find the culprit. While she bakes cupcakes for the town’s Halloween party, outfits her family in costumes and helps decorate the dilapidated mansion being used for the big party, she looks for suspects placing her in danger from the real killer.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Science Fiction (1977)

Earth has barely survived being attacked twice by aliens, causing government agencies to attempt to breed the perfect military genius. Ender Wiggin is only six when he is taken to Battle School to learn military techniques through the playing of mock battles. Ender quickly surpasses his classmates with his unconventional strategies and soon commands his own troops. Torn between the desire to win but not wanting to hurt anyone, Ender begins to doubt his abilities.

            An engrossing, well-plotted read that offers a scathing comment on a world dominated by a military lacking in humanity.

Orson Scott Card was the first writer to receive both the Hugo and Nebula awards for best novel two years in a row, first for Ender's Game and then its sequel Speaker for the Dead. Warner Brothers plans to bring Ender's Game to the big screen.

Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff

Fantasy (1998)

When Claire is summoned to a run-down bed and breakfast in Kingston she thinks she’ll be staying for only one night. When she discovers a gateway to Hell in the basement and a disturbing presence in Room 6, she must use her powers as a Keeper to keep the world safe. With a talking cat, French Canadian ghost and hunky handyman as sidekicks Claire explores various options to prevent a catastrophic disaster. Further complications arise with the arrival of some very unusual guests.
        This book is full of great one-liners, wisecracks and quirky characters but the dry wit of Austin the cat steals the show.
           Tanya Huff lives in the Kingston area and has written 19 books primarily in the fantasy genre. Summon the Keeper is the first in a trilogy.  

Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs
Mystery (2001)

When Theodosia Browning agreed to cater the reception at one of the majestic homes on the Lamplighter Tour, she never imagined that she would end up having to solve a murder. As the owner of the Indigo Tea Shop in historic Charleston, Theodosia operates a tea salon and retail shop. But with an unpopular land developer found dead holding a cup of tea, she must step in to save her reputation and protect an employee from murder charges.          Capturing the flavour of Charleston and containing tea-making tips as well as recipes for the perfect tea party, this series will appeal to tea lovers everywhere.          Laura Childs was the owner of a successful advertising agency before making the switch to writing mysteries full-time. She has two on-going series – the tea shop mystery series with the fifth book due out in September and the scrapbook mysteries.

Calculating God by Robert J. Sawyer
Science Fiction (2000)

A spaceship lands outside the Royal Ontario Museum and a spider-like alien steps out and says “Take me to your paleontologist.” Tom Jenkins, the ROM’s paleontologist, assists the alien Hollus with her study of earth’s fossils for confirmation that earth’s evolution parallels two other planets. Hollus believes that these similarities are due to the existence of God, while Tom, an atheist believes everything can be explained by science. Tom is dying from lung cancer and with nothing to lose joins Hollus in a trip through space to find the answer to the ultimate question.            This novel is a great discussion of creation versus evolution with carefully researched science surrounding the book’s imaginary premise.          Robert Sawyer lives in the Toronto area and is the only writer in history to win the top science fiction awards in the U.S., Canada, Japan, France and Spain. He has written 17 bestselling novels.

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong