The Kingdoms of Savannah (Celadon Books, 2022) reads like a fine literary suspense novel, a top-tier mystery. But Kingdoms triumphs in extending the boundaries of the genre. George Dawes Green unearths so many long-buried layers of history with such drama, such flair, such artistic skill that readers may not even be aware they are reading […]
“The Whispering Women” by Trish MacEnulty
October 18, 2022 by Leave a Comment
The Whispering Women (Prism Light Press, 2022) by Trish MacEnulty features two lively female investigators who represent distinct social classes. Richly drawn characters, the vibrant historical setting, and a suspenseful mystery create strong currents that pull readers into this delightful novel. But it’s the women’s issues—as relevant today as they were in the early 1900s—that […]
“Alone in the House of My Heart” by Kari Gunter-Seymour
October 5, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Alone in the House of My Heart (Ohio University Swallow Press, 2022) is a rich and varied collection of poems by Kari Gunter-Seymour, Ohio Poet Laureate and founder/executive director of the “Women of Appalachia Project,” an arts organization she created to address discrimination directed at women from the Appalachian region. Divided in to five sections, […]
“The Strange Inheritance of Leah Fern,” by Rita Zoey Chin
October 5, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Donna Meredith Exquisitely beautiful and eerily wise. Deeply philosophical yet full of magic. An enchanting novel with intriguing characters. Rita Zoey Chin’s The Strange Inheritance of Leah Fern (Melville House, October 2022) is all these things—and more. In other words, a work of literary excellence. The novel begins with a disturbing scene. Leah […]
Books In Brief
October 4, 2022 by 1 Comment
“Nostalgic Florida: Iconic Art of the Sunshine State” by Doug Alderson From bathing beauty postcards to toothy gator ashtrays, Alderson’s thoroughly researched, amply illustrated book takes readers on a rollicking ride through Florida history in an entertaining study of its artwork. This pictorial history offers sections on Romantic Florida, Funny Florida, Florida’s Bathing Beauties and […]
“How We Disappear” by Tara Lynn Masih
September 20, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Tara Lynn Masih’s exceptional short story and novella collection How We Disappear (Press 53, 2022) presents a sprawling range of characters, unique voices, and exotic settings. Take the first story, “What You Can’t See in the Picture.” The protagonist is a woman with a most unusual career, stemming from her super power: she can recognize […]