Book review: ‘The Secret Bridesmaid’
‘The Secret Bridesmaid’ By: Katy Birchall (2021, 400 pages, romance) Sophie Breeze is a bridesmaid who lives in London. She is not your average bridesmaid, though, she is a professional. That’s right – not a wedding planner but a professional bridesmaid. Her job is to let brides and their families make the plans they want while she unobtrusively works out all of the details so that the wedding goes off without a hitch. She is so good...
Book review: ‘Mr. Campion’s Memory’ by Mike Ripley
‘Mr. Campion’s Memory’ By Mike Ripley (228 pages, mystery, 2023) London 1972, Mr. Campion’s nephew, Christopher, a public relations man, asks for Campion’s help at Christopher’s father’s funeral. He needs to have Campion search his memory from 40 years ago. Christopher handles public relations for Lachlan McIntyre, a wealthy businessman who owns construction vehicles – earth movers. McIntyre is in line for a peerage and so his...
Book review – Jade Dragon Mountain
“Jade Dragon Mountain” by Elsa Hart The first book in a series about former Imperial Librarian Li Du is a fascinating window into the politics and culture of Manchu China. In 1708, Li Du finds himself in the awkward position of being too close to an impending visit by the Emperor himself to the far southwestern city of Dayan. Li Du was exiled from the Imperial Court and Library by this Emperor for daring to doubt the...
Book Review: Born to Run – A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
‘Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen’ By Christopher McDougall (287 pages, Nonfiction, Health and Fitness, Anthropology, 2009) Foreign correspondent Christopher McDougall has been through some harrowing events, covering wars in Rwanda, Angola, and Congo. In this book, he takes on a new challenge: learning to love running and avoid serious injury. Born to Run is one of the most...
Book review – Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
‘Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers’ By Jesse Q. Sutanto (338, Mystery, 2023) Vera Wong is a tiny, lonely Chinese woman of a certain age who runs a failing tea shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown. She only has one loyal customer who comes in each morning. His wife is ill, and Vera makes him a special blend of tea each day, choosing items from an immense cabinet of ingredients. She tailors it to what she thinks he needs each...
