The Front Page

By Cathy Austin

The time is right for new projects, school and back to work and to check out authors new to you like The Almost Widow by Gail Anderson-Dargatz, a Canadian novelist living in B.C.

This author is passionate about old growth forests and the natural world. In this novel she features Piper, a tree-hugger if you like, a woman keen on saving our old ancient trees from poachers. Her husband, Ben, is a natural resource officer, who does just that or tries to, it’s a tough go as illegal logging is high in our dense wooded areas especially in B.C., the setting for this book. The story begins with Piper being rather frantic that Ben has not come home from his visit across the lake in search of a particular suspected poacher. One thing leads to another and the pace is set with search and rescue along with Piper and Ben’s son Noah joining in the search. When Ben’s boat is found the worst is imagined but Piper and Noah refuse to abandon Ben. Things come to a head deep in the snowy woods: a disturbed grizzly from her den, suspected poachers and the Green Man who haunts the woods, but he is real. A good read, a bit frustrating at times as Piper’s character is very impulsive and knee-jerk but it serves her well in the end. Scenery, setting and plot shine.

Hands up if you know of Max Kerman and the band Arkells! Try Hard by Max Kerman is a kind of an autobiography self help creative outline, ideal for inspiration, getting started, just doing what moves you to that point of success, big or small that you crave and how to get it. Way back as a kid, Max was not overly motivated to do a lot of stuff, he got sidetracked, so many things interested him that did not involve actual work, so curious, a lover of quirkiness, let’s say, from an interesting family history. Lazy, no, not as such as he reveals in chapter four, a try hard, indeed, and a very, very honest, very hard worker at what he excels at: music, writing, playing, gathering, singing, leading, being upbeat, being a frontman, getting things done in his community, across our country, world tours. Arkells was formed from a bunch of uni guys from McMaster and Hamilton is where they jammed, became who they are now: a revered band, 20 years in as a top performing fan loving group with legions of assorted aficionados and believers. All because Max had a dream to dream big. Written in a superb conversational voice, with many key constructive points Max shares what worked for him, what didn’t and what might work for you, the reader in your pursuit of a creative bent. I turned down so many pages. I loved this book to bits. It’s fresh, it’s fun, it’s uplifting!

Kelley Armstrong’s 4th book in her time travel detective series is a must read for fans of Mallory, Duncan, Isla and Hugh plus the supporting cast of characters circa 1870 Edinburgh, Scotland. In Death at a Highland Wedding the scene changes to a manor where all sorts of things have gone on and continue, and, of course, a murder is the result, and days before the wedding. Our main crew is there, along with Hugh’s sister, the bride. It is her groom, Archie’s estate, an old school chum of Duncan and Hugh. Many clandestine meetings, midnight picnic meet ups, wildcats roaming the grounds, poachers, murderers and relations without consent. Mallory and Duncan (Dr. Gray) have quite the task to find the killer/s of a dear guest (with a very shocking deep secret) without the knowledge of the very young constable in charge. Armstrong’s characters are likeable, well-fleshed out and interact well with one another making each book shine. Victorian Scotland and the era is depicted nicely as is the scenery and dialogue. A sure winner!

On Isabella Street is a fantastic historical and well-written and researched new novel by Genevieve Graham, one of Canada’s top fiction writers. She seamlessly weaves the stories of 30 year old Marion, a psychiatric nurse at 999 Queen St., a building soon to be emptied of its patients, something she strongly disagrees with. Sassy, a 20 something upbeat hippie-like girl into singing and her guitar, coasting on Dad’s money, working for the cause of anti-Vietnam war protests alongside her boyfriend, Davey, event organizer and aspiring chef. Turns out Marion and Sassy live in the same building in Toronto and forge a friendship, sharing their strengths, changing their lives forever. The plot involves mental health care, Vietnam vets care and housing, family tragedies and gaining strength from them and living in the late 1960’s with so many world and societal changes. There is romance. And sorrow, laughter and tears. No spoilers, I’ll stop here. A must read!

This big book is a quick read, really, it is! Marble Hall Murders is a standalone but connects to Magpie Murders, both by Anthony Horowitz, who has a CBE for his services to literature. And if you’ve read him, no disputing his long list of novels, screenplays, etc. A gem of an author, one who seems to push all the buttons in delivering a riveting complicated page turner with so many red herrings, suspects, plots, murders, characters that jump off the page along with umpteen references to all things Brit and fantastic settings in London and France. Susan Ryeland, once editor of the late Alan Conway and his Atticus Pund novels finds herself embroiled in a new manuscript, a continuation of Pund written by Eliot Crace of the famous Miriam Crace family, his grandmother, who wrote the Little people series of blockbuster hits. Will Eliot be a success, too? Will Susan deliver the finished book? Will everyone involved in the Crace family lore make it to the end of the book? No spoilers. This is a genuinely fantastic book within a book peopled with a gazillion fascinating characters. Yes, I loved it.

Fans of Las Vegas shows and casinos will love The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian but will be surprised at the underbelly of new crypto crime infiltrating the strip. Two sisters at odds, one the star of the Diana cabaret running at the Buckingham Palace Casino, Chrissy Dowling and Betsy Dowling, of Vermont but newly relocated to Vegas with her guy, an up and coming crypto mover and shaker collide when mob bosses of coin enter the picture, owners of the BP end up dead and both Chrissy and Betsy get in over their heads. But, they, along with Betsy’s adopted daughter Marisa (one smart 13 year old who knows her way around the internet and hacking) unite, however unlikely that strikes each of them, to get out of the jam they’re in. This is one big read, lots of menace and sorrow, some unexpected joy and strong likeable characters in the flawed Chrissy, Betsy and Marisa. Note: I read this hot desert setting book during our recent heat wave. An experience!
Fall for one of these, something for everyone.