Author: Waubgeshig Rice

Many thanks to Dylan for this recommendation; he had to read the book for his college English class. His review was that it was okay – high praise as he is not a reader. I, on the other hand, absolutely loved it and I have the sequel on my night table to start reading tonight.

The book reminded me so much of the lives of the First Nations people I knew in the North, particularly Fort Smith. There were also incidents in the book that brought back memories of things that actually happened – teens freezing to death and a hint of cannibalism.

Evan and his family live on a reservation in the northern part of Ontario. One day, as winter is approaching, they lose electricity and, soon after, all contact with the “outside”. Only when two young people return to their homes from college do they find out that the situation has been experienced beyond their community. As the elders and council attempt to keep order and make sure everyone is safe a southerner arrives in the community, bringing a disruptive influence in their lives.

Goodreads Rating: * * * * *

Author: Harlan Coben

I’ve seen a couple of Netflix series based on this author’s work and thought I should read at least one of them before more come online. Although I didn’t know it when I borrowed this one from the library, it is in production for a new series.

I really had to pace myself with this book. I read almost halfway through it in one sitting but I wanted to make it last until we came home from Texada.

There are three storylines that start the book and, of course, they all come together at the end. Simon Greene is the father of a drug-addicted daughter who is missing after her boyfriend is murdered. Elena Ramirez is a private investigator looking for the son of her wealthy client. Ash and Dee Dee appear to be on a crime spree with a motive that only they know. There were surprises at every turn in the last hundred pages.

Goodreads Rating: * * * * *

Author: Kristin Harmel

I recently enjoyed another book by this author so thought I would try another one. It was an easy read but followed a very familiar pattern. I think for now I’m done with this particular genre. It only took a short time for me to realize where the title came from and I knew both of the surprises long before we got there.

Eva is a young Jewish woman living in occupied Paris during the Second World War. She and her mother narrowly escape a Nazi roundup but with the forged papers Eva manages to put together they escape with the hope of making it to Switzerland. Her skills are put to use forging documents for the many refugees who are desperate to flee France.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Richard Galbraith

Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott are partners in a private detective agency. A wealthy client hires the agency to check on the welfare of his son, Will, who is a member of a very secret organization called the Universal Humanitarian Church. Some say the UHC is a cult and although many have tried to bring them down none have succeeded. In order to get information about Will, Robin goes undercover and joins the group.

One of the things I liked about the story is that the detective agency had other clients that they were working with simultaneously and they had other employees. It wasn’t a single story line with only two heroes. Although this book is #7 in a series it wasn’t necessary to have read any of the others to fully understand the story. I’ll look for other books in the series when I’m next at the library and needing a book.

When I was about three-quarters of the way through the book I looked at the note on the inside back cover. Richard Galbraith is a pseudonym for J.K. Rawling (of Harry Potter fame).

Goodreads Rating: * * * * *