GERMANIA: A NOVEL OF NAZI BERLIN

4 stars out of 5

Bleak. And, oddly, both enlightening and engrossing: Those are my reactions after reading this book. It was not, at least to me, an easy book to read. First of all, my coming of age happened on the lower cusp of the "Make Love, Not War" generation; I don't like the thought of war, much less reading about one. As for World War II, near the end of which this story is set, my earliest recollections, somewhere around age 4, is hiding with my mother while my father - an air raid warden in our small Indiana town - hit the streets to make sure all the residents had their lights turned off (in later years, though, I did wonder whatever possessed my mother to think we'd be safe hunkered down in an upstairs bedroom - but that's a story for another day).

At any rate, I've for the most part steered clear of reading books or watching movies about wars. But because this one is a murder mystery/thriller and offered to me from the publisher, I put aside my doubts and dug in. And in the end, it won me over, triggering emotions from hope to sadness to fear and giving me a unique glimpse into what it must have been like to live in war-torn Berlin in mid-1944. Honestly, I can't imagine hell being much worse.

The story centers around former Detective Richard Oppenheimer, who, as  Jew, has been relieved of duty under Nazi Germany rules. He's spared a worse fate, at least for the time being, because he's married to an Aryan woman named Lisa. They live in not much more than a hovel, which at any moment could be reduced to rubble by one of the frequent Allied air strikes. But then, his life takes a different turn: The Gestapo, it seems, need his expertise to help solve the gruesome murder of a woman whose mutilated body was laid out in front of a war memorial. He's reluctant to get involved - especially to help the people he sees as the enemy - but he also sees little choice. Soon, another body turns up in similar fashion - and now the search is for what is presumed to be a serial killer.

As he tries to skirt the uncertainties of interacting with a Gestapo supervisor (including such details as to when, or whether, he should keep the Star of David sewn onto his overcoat lapel as is normally required of him as a Jew), he becomes fascinated by the case. But many obstacles fall into his path, not the least of which is dodging the damage from incoming artillery. As all this unfolds and he's eager to nail the murderer, he tries to maintain his secret relationships with his anti-Nazi friends and keep up his hopes that he and his wife can escape to a safe country instead of being banished to a concentration camp - perhaps after the case is solved and he is no longer needed.

In between the action are extensive descriptions of what it was like to live in a war-torn city and the workings of the Nazi regime. It was to me a bit of a difficult read because scenes shift within the chapters with no warning; I lost count of the times I had to back up because I suddenly realized I was reading about an entirely different character in an entirely different setting. Still, it was overall a well-thought out, intriguing story I'm glad I took the time to read. Thanks very much to the publisher, via NetGalley, for offering a pre-release copy. Definitely worth reading!

Germania: A Novel of Nazi Berlin by Harald Gilbers (Thomas Dunne Books, December 2020); 348 pp.

THE LAW OF INNOCENCE

 5 stars out of 5

With the end of a mostly shut-in year looming, I've managed to read about 120 books - far exceeding the goal I set at the beginning of the year. All but a few earned high marks - with several coming from authors I'd not even heard of - and that's satisfying and a real treat. Still, I have to say that opening one from a long-established author - one of my favorites - brings a special level of excitement. And when it's really, really good, as this one is, I'm over the top (and, I hasten to add, more than a little sad when I've finished).

This one puts investigation and courtroom drama to the test, and both passed with flying colors. This time, though, it's Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller who's his own client; it seems he was pulled over for a license plate violation - after which the officer found a dead body in the trunk. Because of the contentious relationship Mickey had with the victim - and because evidence was found at Mickey's home suggesting the man was killed there - the hot-shot defense attorney suddenly finds himself behind bars and facing a trial that could keep him there for the rest of his life.

Needless to say, Mickey knows he didn't do it, but he's also acutely aware of the so-called law of innocence, to-wit: "For every man not guilty of a crime, there is a man out there who is." To this end, he and his team, which includes characters from previous books including his half-brother Harry Bosch, must figure out who the killer really is - and then prove it beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury.

How that plays out - and the goings-on in the trial itself - are the substance of the book. It's a great story, made even better by references to the onslaught of the Coronavirus and not-so-sneaky references to the lay of the national political land (which, depending on their perspectives, is likely to either delight readers like me or make them grind their teeth). Terrific book - highly recommended!

The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., November 2020); 433 pp.

THE WICKED HOUR

 4 stars out of 5

In the end, I enjoyed getting to know Detective Natalie Lockhart through this book, the second in the series. But I also know my enjoyment was dampened because I had not read the first one - and I strongly advise new-to-the-series readers to start there.
 

Natalie lives and works in Burning Lake, New York - a place that becomes a tourist mecca during its Mardi gras-style festivities at Halloween. Natalie herself is something of a heroine, following her much-publicized shooting of a serial killer sometime earlier. Apparently, she's never quite come to terms with that killing - nor with other events involving her sister and some school-age friends that are not fully explained here (I assume they were detailed in the first book). As part of her healing process, I suppose, it also seems as though she's had an affair with half of the town's eligible men (which at times tends to muddle her thoughts as well as how she does her job).

One of the events on Halloween night is a violin-playing contest, and this year is no exception. All goes well until it doesn't; the body of a young woman is found in a dumpster. She was one of the contestants - and, as it turns out, not the only violin virtuoso to have gone missing over the years. As the investigation progresses, a number of suspects emerge - some of whom force Natalie to question those she trusts. All this is complicated by her former relationship with her boss, Lt. Luke Pittman; she blames herself for breaking things off but doesn't know how or if they can get back to that status once again.

Woven into the story is a thread of witchcraft; it seems quite a few of the townsfolk are "into" it - some more seriously than others. There's no real evidence up front that the practice is in any way related to the young woman's death, but it's another avenue that must not be overlooked. Also woven into the story are glimpses of events from the first book, such as the sudden disappearance of one of Natalie's childhood friends who also happened to have been a budding violinist.

As I said at the beginning, I would have enjoyed this one much more had a more thorough background from the first book been provided. That said, it's good enough on its own that I won't hesitate to read the next one (the ending here, which was a bit unexpected, increased my anticipation). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Wicked Hour by Alice Blanchard (Minotaur Books, December 2020); 304 pp.

PREMEDITATED MORTAR

5 stars out of 5

As cozy mysteries go, this series never fails to bring a breath of fresh air (albeit infused with the scent of sawdust). I've read three so far - I believe this is the eighth - and thoroughly enjoyed each one.

As this begins, building contractor Shannon Hammer has signed on to renovate and restore a wing of a long-abandoned mental hospital known as the Gables. The wing will become an upscale hotel owned by Shannon's friend, Jane Hennessey; when completed, the rest of the property will become a large retail complex that, hopefully, will attract visitors to Lighthouse Cove, North Carolina. Shannon's main squeeze, successful writer Mac Sullivan, has invested in the hotel project, so she's eager to get started.

But at the groundbreaking ceremony, her hopes are dashed a bit as a group of protesters show up to create a media circus. But wait, there's more: After the protesters disburse and she heads inside to get a better look at what needs to be done during the year-long renovation, someone pushes Shannon into a huge stack of bricks. Once she gets back on her feet - literally and figuratively - she goes back in to check out a hidden space and finds the body of one of the protesters.

From there, it's a merry chase to identify the killer that brings most of Shannon's close friends and her sister Chloe together (Chloe, for the record, has been in a serious relationship with the local chief of police). The investigation takes several turns, revealing previously unknown relationships and the possibility that the murderer might be someone close to Shannon. In between are details of the restoration project and the dark history of the mental institution - all interesting in and of themselves. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the chance to read and review another winner - and now I'm looking forward to the next installment!

Premeditated Mortar by Kate Carlisle (Berkley, December 2020); 304 pp.

THE STRANGER IN MY BED

3 stars out of 5

If I had a quarter for every sentence in this book that ends with a question mark, I swear I'd have enough money to replace the roof on our house. Good grief!

Both Freya and her husband of a couple of years, Phil, are facing uncertainties; for personal reasons, Freya has made the decision to leave Phil - or so she says in the beginning. But then Phil is seriously injured in an auto accident that's left him with no memory of anything prior to the return from what he recalls as a happy honeymoon. As she sits with Phil next to his hospital bed, Freya starts to question her motives for leaving and whether she should give the marriage another shot. For his part, Phil seems to have undergone a personality change for the better, but as he begins to learn what he was like pre-accident, he, too, begins to question what will happen from here on out.

And question. And question. Some paragraphs, in fact, are comprised of nothing but questions as chapters switch from the perspectives of the main characters. It's a never-ending string of woulda, coulda, shoulda,  what ifs and if onlys that have no real answers until the very end, when the true story is revealed.

But make no mistake: There is a story here - quite an intriguing and meaningful one, in fact, that highlights a couple of important social issues. Readers learn that there's much more going on that it appears at first blush, with Freya, Phil and, occasionally, Freya's older sister Daisy, all of whom are frustrated to some degree or other by Phil's inability to remember (especially things that don't jibe with the way he sees himself now). But for readers - and the characters themselves - it's hard to determine who is to be believed. Each new chapter adds details that build suspense, if predictably (with the exception of one detail at the very end). 

As far as I'm concerned, what woulda shoulda happened - not long after the honeymoon - is that Freya kept that suitcase packed and carried it, and herself, as far away from Phil as she could get with no forwarding address (it was clear early on that something was amiss in their marriage). Not that she's a very relatable character, mind you - none of them is, as far as I'm concerned - but of the lot, she seemed to have the most going for her. It just took her far too long for her to come to that conclusion as well.

Honestly, this book doesn't get a really high score from me, but that's almost entirely because of those incessant questions. I'd love to see the same story told in a more straightforward manor - those above-mentioned issues deserve to be told and retold until they're no longer issues. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it. 

The Stranger in My Bed by Karen King (Bookouture, November 2020); 295 pp.

HER SISTER'S CHILD

4 stars out of 5

Clever but complicated. The second conclusion - which happened because of the sheer number of characters, multiple identities and ever-changing time frames - almost caused me to pack it in. But the first one started to kick in somewhere around the halfway point - and from then on, I was glued to my Kindle till the very last page.

Paula Donnelly regularly visits the grave of her older sister, an alcoholic who died when she was 24 (at the time of Paula's current visit, Lizzie would have been 40). Their parents gave up on Lizzie many years ago, but Paula remains loyal. Besides that, she's convinced that Lizzie had been pregnant, and gave birth shortly before she died. Paula, now divorced with two children of her own, is intent on finding out what happened to that baby (if, in fact, there really was one).

Next up is Charlie, who is pregnant and not at all sure she really wants a baby. Still, she resists her parents' demand that she have an abortion and moves out to a flat she shares with the birth father, who's a real cad. 

Then it's back to Paula, who meets a former schoolmate at a bar she happens to visit while trying to decide how to proceed with her baby search. As it turns out, he's very willing to help - although it's questionable whether it's altruistic, or wants to curry favor with Paula or something more sinister. The plot shifts perspective from these and other characters until it finally turns enlightening - and exciting. A good bit of the tale is predictable once things start coming together, although there's one big reveal that comes as a surprise (at least it did to me).

All in all, I really enjoyed the book, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. I do advise other readers, though, to do what I always do (mostly as a memory aid when it comes to writing my reviews): Keep notes on names and relationships along the way. It's a lot easier to refer to notes, especially if you're reading on a Kindle as I do, than trying to locate the place in the book to find the character who appears several chapters later but you can't remember who he or she is. 

Her Sister's Child by Alison James (Bookouture, November 2020); 351 pp.

ANSWERS IN THE FORM OF QUESTIONS

 5 stars out of 5

Category: Entertainment

Clue: A trip down memory lane 

Answer: What is a book about Jeopardy!, my all-time favorite TV game show? 

Fact is, my husband and I rarely miss it (for the record - and the benefit of various friends and family who might wonder what happened to us from 7:30 to 8 on a weeknight - if the phone rings when we're watching we refuse to answer).

You see, we go all the way back to the 1964 debut of the show with Art Fleming as the host and Don Pardo as the announcer. The current version is far more popular with viewers, with host Alex Trebek bounding on stage at the exuberant introduction of announcer Johnny Gilbert. Neither is exactly a spring chicken; Gilbert is well into his 90s (and still, IMHO, doing a bang-up job).

Despite being ecstatic over getting the chance, thanks to the publisher, to read and review a pre-release copy of this book, I figured I would already know most of what's in it. To some extent, I was right. But truth is, I learned a lot - most notably about such things as the importance of mastering buzzer ring-in timing, the process of becoming a contestant (don't for one second think it comes easy, or cheap) and what really happens behind the scenes. On top of that come insights from former champions - almost all of whom are familiar to those of us who watch religiously. From handlebar-mustached New York cop Frank Spangenberg to quirky bartender Austin Rogers to somewhat more conventional  Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings and the phenomenal James Holzhauer, they're all in here - offering tidbits about their strategies and experiences. There's even a chapter on the show's very active Alumni Chapter and how Weird Al Yankovic influenced the show's revival (say what)?

I wish I could reveal some of the details, but doing so would spoil it for others so I'll keep them to myself, recommend that you read the book for yourself and end with this: 

Category: Adjectives

Clue: Word that best describes this book

Answer: What is delightful? 

Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider's Guide to Jeopardy! by Clair McNear (Twelve, November 2020); 272 pp.