Reviewed by Claire Hamner Matturro Gale Massey burst into the literary scene two years ago with her acclaimed debut novel, The Girl from Blind River (Crooked Lane), which won a 2018 Florida Book Award, among other accolades. Prior to that novel, some prestigious publications had published her short stories. So it’s no surprise to see […]
March Read of the Month: “Call It Horses,” by Jessie Van Eerden
March 11, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Becca Spence Dobias Call it Horses is a difficult text in multiple ways, and as is often the case, its difficulty makes it an incredibly rewarding read. Perhaps most challenging is its subject matter, which includes domestic violence, pregnancy loss, cancer, death, and suicide, but its prose, too, is thick and intentional, each […]
“The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street,” by Karen White
March 3, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Brandy Renee McCann The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street, the sixth novel in the Tradd Street mysteries series by Karen White, brings readers along with Melanie Trenholm as she uncovers the story of a Revolutionary War era spy ring. The rich and evocative language of the opening scene unmistakably draws readers in and […]
“Shakespeare’s Secrets,” by Bonnie Hoover Braendlin
February 25, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Janet McCann Bonnie Hoover Braendlin’s second mystery in the Caulfield-Sheridan series is a delight. In the first novel, Love and Death in Venice, she takes her duo to Venice where they get themselves in grave danger attempting to solve a murder that leads to the center of a truly evil organization. Her second, […]
February Read of the Month: “Goshen Road,” by Bonnie Proudfoot
February 10, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Donna Meredith Bonnie Proudfoot’s Goshen Road dives deep into West Virginia rural life with a tale that sweeps across multiple generations. The novel has been selected for the Women’s National Book Association’s Great Group Reads program and is longlisted for the 2021 PEN/Hemingway Award for Best Debut Novel. The novel provides multiple viewpoints, […]
“Wanting Radiance,” by Karen Salyer McElmurray
January 27, 2021 by 1 Comment
Reviewed by Donna Meredith The pages of Wanting Radiance, a luscious literary novel by Karen Salyer McElmurray, are haunted by characters yearning for love—or something else they can’t quite name. As Ruby Loving says, she is “hungry and what she wanted was a miracle to fill her up.” Her daughter Miracelle thinks the emptiness might […]
“Obscura,” by Frank Paino
January 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by William Walsh I remember in graduate school how I admired Frank Paino’s ability to move people with his strength of words and deep painful angst on subjects that neither I nor most poets could write about. I felt his passion for history and the truth his narrators were conveying. Whether the narrator was […]
January Read of the Month: “Wrecked,” by Mary Anna Evans
January 5, 2021 by 1 Comment
Reviewed by Claire Hamner Matturro Writing a successful mystery series is a hard thing to do well. Not only must series authors continue to create intriguing and original plots time after time, but they must also keep the recurring characters fresh while rotating in new villains, alternate heroes, and supporting personalities. It also helps to […]