“The Joy and Light Bus Company: No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (22) by Alexander McCall Smith

When I realized the 23^rd installment of this series was published and I had not read book 22, it was time to return to this series which doesn’t rely on exciting plot lines, but rather, feels like a wonderful visit with treasured, old friends from Botswana: Mma. Ramotswe and Mma. Makutsi of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. In this episode, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni’s plan to mortgage Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors in order to invest in a bus company, alarms Mma. Ramotswe, even as she is investigating a wealthy man’s claim that his aged father’s nurse has coerced him into changing his will. 4 Stars

“The Second Life of Mirielle West” by Amanda Skenandore

 Wealthy, famous socialite, Mirielle West, is part of the Hollywood film scene during the Roaring 20s, when she’s suddenly forced from family and friends, and imprisoned in a Louisiana leper colony. The story of her life in the colony and the dramatic changes it makes in her life, makes for a fascinating tale peppered with descriptions of the ravages of the disease but also incorporating facts that the author pulled from intensive historical research into treatment of the disease in the United States, and anecdotal records from patients of the time period. 4 Stars

“One Italian Summer: A Novel” by Rebecca Serle

When you have vividly rendered scenes of the gorgeous Italian countryside, and delectable descriptions of food and wine, spiced up with a dash of magical realism and romance, they easily contrast with the grief, insecurity, and confusion of the main character to produce a readable, if somewhat predictable story.  Katy is reeling from the long illness and death of her near-perfect mother who was her best friend, her everything, and not only to process her grief, but in essence, to find herself, she doesn’t cancel the trip she planned to take with her mom, but leaves her husband, travels to Italy to sort things out, and once there, finds more than she ever expected.  3 Stars

“The Messy Lives of Book People” by Phaedra Patrick

I loved other books by this author, but this one, although charming in parts, was a bit of a disappointment, with rather shallow characters and a less-than-believable plot about an insecure, married mother of two, Liv Green, an avid reader struggling to make ends meet as a housecleaner for her favorite author, the difficult and reclusive Essie Starling.  Through a series of events, Liv is asked to ghost-write for Essie, and when she probes and questions people to find out more about the mysterious author’s past, she ends up finding better meaning and purpose for her own life.  2 ½ Stars.