The Briar Club is a haunting historical mystery set in an all-female boardinghouse in Washington, D.C., during the turbulent McCarthy era. The novel opens in November 1954 with a shocking act of violence at Briarwood House, leaving a dead body and a community in turmoil. As the police arrive and the residents await questioning, the narrative rewinds to explore the years leading up to the tragedy. In 1950, Briarwood House residents keep to themselves until the mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room. Her arrival sparks unlikely friendships among them: Fliss, a harried new mother; Nora, a police officer’s daughter entangled with a gangster; Bea, a former pro […]
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From Soccer Mom to Prison Inmate
“The Many Lives of Mama Love is a heartbreaking and tender journey from shame to redemption, despite a system that makes it almost impossible for us to move beyond the worst thing we have ever done.”—Lara Love Hardin, The Many Lives of Mama Love. Soccer mom Lara Love Hardin had a seemingly perfect life until the police knocked on the door of her million-dollar home. Behind her suburban facade, she was funding a heroin addiction by stealing her neighbors’ credit cards. Hardin’s memoir, The Many Lives of Mama Love, blends despair and comedy as she recounts her journey. “I carefully pick through the bottom-of-purse debris until I find some small […]
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A Heartfelt Tale of Truth and Forgiveness
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 The Little Liar is a heart-wrenching exploration of the destructive power of lies and the lasting scars they leave. Set in Salonika, Greece, during World War II, the story follows 11-year-old Nico Krispis, whose honesty becomes his downfall. Manipulated by a Nazi officer, Nico unknowingly convinces his Jewish neighbors, including his own family, to board trains bound for Auschwitz. The devastating realization of his role in their fate shatters Nico, leading him to vow never to tell the truth again. Albom masterfully intertwines the lives of Nico, his brother Sebastian, and their friend Fanni, all of whom survive the Holocaust but are forever changed. […]
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A High-Octane Thriller with Unfinished Business
3.5 rounded up to 4. Deep Sleep is a pulse-pounding journey into the shadowy world of espionage and conspiracy. The story centers on Devin Gray, a countersurveillance expert drawn into a dangerous mission following the death of his estranged mother, Helen, a former CIA officer notorious for her paranoia. Most dismissed Helen’s obsession with a vast conspiracy, but when Devin discovers the clues she left behind, he realizes her fears were justified. With the help of former Marine pilot Marnie Young and a team of covert operatives, Devin uncovers a deep-rooted Russian sleeper network that has infiltrated the highest levels of American society. Konkoly’s military background shines through in the […]
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The Paris Betrayal Delivers Nonstop Action
4.5 stars I love finding authors I’ve never read before, and James R. Hannibal is the real deal! The Paris Betrayal is a fast-paced spy thriller that hooked me from the start. The story follows Ben Calix, a skilled operative whose life spirals out of control after a mission in Rome goes wrong. Tasked with uncovering a deadly bioweapon, Ben barely escapes, only to return to Paris and find his world in ruins. Disavowed by his agency, cut off from all support, and hunted by unknown enemies, Ben’s situation couldn’t be worse. The action is nonstop as Ben races across Europe to piece together the conspiracy against him. Along the […]
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Religious Persecution in 16th-Century France
The Burning Chambers is a sweeping historical novel set in 16th-century France during the brutal Wars of Religion between Catholics and Huguenots. The story follows Minou Joubert, a young Catholic woman who receives a cryptic letter stating, “She knows that you live.” This mysterious message sets off a chain of events that entangles her with Piet Reydon, a Huguenot soldier on a dangerous mission. Mosse explores themes of betrayal, loyalty, and forbidden love, all against the backdrop of the era’s violent religious upheaval. Her vivid descriptions and meticulous attention to historical detail bring this tumultuous period to life. One of the standout aspects is how much I learned about the […]
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A Meandering Tale of Community That Misses the Mark
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store has all the ingredients for a great historical novel: a tight-knit community in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, a mysterious skeleton found in a well, and 1930s setting rich with cultural and racial tensions. The story promises to explore themes of racism, love, sacrifice, and the power of community as we go back in time to Chicken Hill, a neighborhood where Jewish immigrants and African Americans live side by side. At the heart of the novel is the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, run by Moshe Ludlow and his wife, Chona. Her determination to protect Dodo, a deaf Black boy, from a cruel institution sets off a […]
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Vietnam’s Forgotten Warriors
The Women is an exceptional historical saga that left me deeply affected. As a long-time fan of Hannah’s work, I’ve found each of her novels grimmer than the last, and The Women is no exception. It brilliantly but painfully portrays the life of Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a young nurse who serves in the Vietnam War. Hannah’s historical detail about the war, protests, music, and cultural tidbits transport readers back to the turbulent 1960s and 70s. The vivid settings and descriptions of the horrors of war are so powerful that you can almost feel the oppressive heat and humidity of Vietnam and hear the screams of those waiting in triage. The […]
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Broken Lives
The Two Lives of Sara is a dramatic novel set in 1960s Memphis, Tennessee. The story follows Sara King, a young, unwed mother fleeing her troubled past in Chicago with her newborn baby and haunting secrets. She finds refuge at The Scarlet Poplar, a boardinghouse owned by the kind and formidable Mama Sugar. Sara discovers a new sense of community. Mama Sugar and the diverse group of boarders offer her and her son Lebanon friendship and support. Among them is Jonas Coulter, an elementary school English teacher. As their romance blossoms, Sara becomes increasingly involved in the civil rights movement. Despite the warmth of her new life, Sara’s past and […]
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A Love Story Dimmed by Nazi Brutality
Sarah Freethy’s debut novel intertwines the haunting past of Nazi Germany with a daughter’s quest for truth. 1920s: Bettina, a free-spirited German avant-garde artist, meets and falls in love with Max Ehrlich, a Jewish Austrian student. The rise of the Nazis shatters their dream of escaping Germany. Max is deported to Dachau, where his skill in creating exquisite figures at the Allach porcelain factory helps him survive. Desperate to protect their unborn child, Bettina marries a rising Nazi SS officer. 1993: Clara, who grew up not knowing her father, sets out to discover his identity after her mother’s death. Bettina left behind a single clue—a rare porcelain Viking figurine. Clara’s journey uncovers […]
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