Book Review: Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

WARNING:  there are spoilers…and there is a Howler 🙁 This book is classified as literary suspense for those of you keeping score. It is Kukafka’s second novel and now I will probably have to go read the first one. (!) The question she is asking here is all about power.  Why do we insist onContinue reading “Book Review: Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka”

Book Review: The Bangalore Detective Club by Harini Nagendra

I had the privilege of interviewing Harini for the Read Like a Writer Podcast recently and her interview will be available to listeners in March, in anticipation of her new book, the second in the Bangalore Detective Club series.   I listened to her debut novel on Audible and found it great fun.  It is aContinue reading “Book Review: The Bangalore Detective Club by Harini Nagendra”

Mystery and Thriller Round up for 2022

It is time for year end lists!  Here’s my list of favorite mysteries and thrillers I read in  2022.  NOTE—I read these in 2022, some of them were published earlier… Each of these are a great mini-masterclass for mystery writers, too. Each does a wonderful job of keeping the reader curious, building suspense, but withoutContinue reading “Mystery and Thriller Round up for 2022”

Book Review: Brontë’s Mistress by Finola Austin

Brontë’s Mistress is an exploration of what happens when women are socialized to be decorative and seem to have no other purpose.  Our anti-heroine, Lydia Robinson, is the woman who became Branwell Brontë’s mistress during the 1840s.  Some readers may find her unlikable, spoiled, whiny, even extremely self-centered.  As an anti-heroine, these qualities are notContinue reading “Book Review: Brontë’s Mistress by Finola Austin”

Read Like a Writer Book Club Recap

We had a great July meeting and discussed Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty.  If you missed it and would like to see the notes, click below. One thing that came up in the meeting was that we would all like to see a Story Grid/Bookmap analysis of this novel.  I am not promising anything,Continue reading “Read Like a Writer Book Club Recap”