The Marlow Murder Club: A Novel (Book 1) by Robert Thorogood

One of my favorite genres is the “cozy mystery” and this little gem fits the bill nicely with its light tone, twisted plot, reasonably good writing, and a cast of quirky characters including an elderly, whiskey loving, crossword puzzle author named Judith, who sets out to solve a murder and along the way picks up the repressed wife of the local vicar, and an earthy loner who walks dogs for a living, to help investigate a murder in the quiet little town of Marlow. Judith is convinced that her neighbor’s death was a murder so she enlists the help of Susie, who knows many people through her dog walking, and Becks, who covers up her daring nature by being the perfect vicar’s wife, and along with the help of a local, inexperienced police detective, they piece together the clues to solve the crime. 31/2 Stars (A good read).

“THE LITTLE VILLAGE OF BOOK LOVERS” by Nina George

Somehow the plot of this book gets lost and mired amongst the wondrous phrasing and snatches of gorgeous writing, which flit aimlessly about as “Love”, “Fate”, “Muse”, and “Olive Tree” become actual characters who interact with people and reveal the various ways that humans experience and express love. In a twist of magical realism, “Love” accidentally imprints itself on Marie Jeanne when she is a baby, and this allows her to see the love between people as if it were a light, while being unable to experience it herself. 2 Stars (It passed the time)

“The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post: A Novel” by Allison Pataki

Born in 1887, Marjorie Merriweather Post lived at a time when women were not expected to be involved in business or make an impact in the world, yet as the daughter of cereal magnate, C.W. Post, Marjorie was endowed with amazing wealth and a drive to contribute to society by taking on influential roles as socialite, ambassadress, entrepreneur, visionary, philanthropist, businesswoman, interior decorator, art collector, and hostess, not only to presidents but a vast array of people with wealth and power. The book gives a fascinating fictionalized portrait of Marjorie, whose dynamic personality, dedication to detail, strong values, single-mindedness, and unbending drive helped her become a woman who achieved great things at a time when women were not encouraged to do so, but whose attributes and wealth unfortunately did nothing to bring good fortune or lasting love in her personal life. 4 Stars

“The Confession Club” by Elizabeth Berg

While I loved this author’s other two books,( “Arthur Trulove” and “Night of Miracles”) this third part of the trilogy, set in small town Mason, Missouri, just didn’t ring true for me with its premise of a Confession Club — a women’s group with regular meetings where members take turns confessing something (not a likely scenario) and one member, Iris, becomes romantically involved with a homeless, Vietnam veteran named John, who suffers from PTSD, and is presently a squatter in a nearby abandoned farmhouse (also not a likely scenario). There were a few bright moments of humor, some good descriptive writing, and some tender thought-provoking quotes, but in general, the book seemed to jump about as if the author had lost her focus. 2 Stars (It was okay and passed the time.)