The Only Street in Paris

The Only Street in Paris: Life on the Rue des Martyrs by Elaine Sciolino
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having read the forthcoming The Seine by Sciolino and loving it, it was natural to follow up with an earlier book she wrote about life in Paris. Not surprisingly, loved this one, too. Having grown up in Manhattan when the neighborhoods still existed and little stores were on every street and avenue and the customers knew the owners and a real relationship existed between the two, it was easy to relate to this book. By the time one finishes reading it, one knows which store to buy the freshest produce, the best cheese, the finest wine, the newspaper, the morning coffee and croissant and where to go for books, music and entertainment. In addition, the history of the street and its buildings and its decrepit Church are as familiar as though you, too, lived on the Rue des Martyrs. I'd love to visit and see it for myself.

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Hamlet Comes to Nuala--Episode 3

Offstage in Nuala by Harriet Steel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once more Inspector di Silva finds himself in the midst of a perplexing murder mystery. Hamlet, as acted by Alexander Danforth, has come to little Nuala. The cast includes his wife, Kathleen and several actors, several of whom were friends of his from their service with him in the First World War. Also in the cast is the young ingenue, Emerald Watson, who it seems is romantically involved with Danforth. When several days after the performance attended by the diSilvas, the body of Danforth is found stabbed in the neck with a pair of scissors, the Inspector has many suspects to consider. Yet, on the surface none of them had any motive for killing a man who seems to have been, not only charming and talented, but also generous in helping his friends. To compound the complexity of the situation, Archie Clutterbuck, the British government agent appears to be interfering with the investigation. His primary concern seems to be to keep Kathleen and Emerald from being interviewed about the evening of the murder.
With the insights of his wife, Jane, di Silva twists and turns with the convoluted lines of inquiry that seem to lead nowhere until finally, the culprit is uncovered and arrested. I knew upon the introduction of the guilty character their culpability but the motive and method of carrying out the deed escaped me and kept me interested to the very end. Another satisfying installment of a delightful series set in India. The differences between the Buddhist Sinhalese Inspector and his British Anglican wife are fun to explore. Their similarities and love for each other is comfortable and warm.



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Invisible--Black - Ops Guy is Back in Civvies

Invisible by Andrew Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Paul McGrath is used to being invisible, having spent most of his young life as a Black Ops guy in all the hot spots of the world. But now, he is out of the service with a letter of reconciliation from his estranged father is his pocket. Unfortunately, the service being what it is--convoluted at best--the letter reached him two years after it was written. When he arrives home, ready to see his father once more and perhaps ready to mend the rift between them, he finds his father is dead and the death is a possible homicide. The father's business partner is suspected but though he was brought to court, the case was thrown out when some evidential material mysteriously disappeared.
With the subtle suggestion, from the lead detective, that he somehow find this folder, McGrath takes a janitorial job in the courthouse where the file is probably hidden. As his search progresses, Paul uncovers many situations, totally unconnected to the missing material and, yet, problematic. He shares the info with Atkinson, the detective, but when it is shelved as being out of his juristiction etc, Paul finds ways to rectify things himself, all the while continuing his own search.
Being a NYC gal it was a joy to follow him on the streets I so vividly remember as he covers Manhattan, on foot, on subway, etc and enjoys the beauty of its architecture and skyscrapers. The only thing that keeps me from a 5 star review is the cliffhanger ending. It would be fine if there were any indication that a subsequent book will carry on the story but the short preview of the next book does not provide one. This review is of a copy provided by GoodReads for review.

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A New Take on Jane Austen--The Jane Austen Society

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Delightful just like Austen's books. The beginning of the book takes awhile to get going and almost caused me to toss it aside. Each of the characters were introduced at length and their love of Austen and its origins revealed but, though several of them lived in the same small village and knew each other the idea of a cohesive society wasn't evident. Thinking the story would continue in this disjointed vein made the book less than inviting. Still, I stuck with it, fascinated by the dissection of characters these readers made of Austen's creations. Having read several of them and seen innumerable movie or TV interpretations, I'd never thought that deeply about the individuals. Some of the men and women I liked and others, did not, but didn't linger with deep contemplation as to why. To do so or reread the books never occurred to me.
Yet, this book makes me think I might for the author not only has her characters do that but also in telling the story of the Jane Austen Society and its original eight members she shows the villagers and two outsiders not only love Austen and her people but actually in their own lives aren't too different from them. In describing the Austen characters loved or disliked by these folks, she shows their personalites and characteristics as well. An intriguing approach. Perhaps I should seek out an Austen Society and see if that correlation holds true in real life?

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The Seine--(sen not sane!)

The Seine: The River that Made Paris by Elaine Sciolino
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this book, an ARC, from BookBrowse to review. Although it took me quite awhile, for me, to read it the snail's pace was not due to disinterest. Quite the contrary, I loved the book from the first chapter. Sciolino's interest in the River and its surroundings, its history, its people, its place in movies, music, art is so thorough that it is most rewarding to take it in by small mouthfuls, so as to prolong the enjoyment and also to digest the information. She starts at the very source of the river, a wide area of marshland fed my many underground springs until at last the water consolidates into one defined stream that begins its journey toward Paris. It is here that she spends most of her time--there is so much that connects the Seine ( sen NOT sane--it always drives me crazy to hear it mispronounced ) to Paris in reality and in people's minds. Yet, in time, like the river she moves on to Rouen, through the Normandy countryside and to Honfleur ( my favorite of all the towns I visited ) and even to Le Havre, literally the harbor. Here, though the Seine touches its western boundary, the focus of its inhabitants is not on the river but the sea.
I've not been back to the Seine in 30 years and from this book I can see that much has changed but even so, much is the same. I'm glad those locks were not on the bridges when I was there and happy that they are disappearing. If ever I return I hope that I can explore the part of the River before it reaches Paris from its source. And, naturally, to continue toward the sea through Rouen and Honfleur once more. Until then, I have Sciolino's book to keep me dreaming.
If you've been the return through her eyes is not perfect, being only vicarious, but enjoyable If you haven't been, she'll entice you to try to make the trip at least once.

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