Review: All The Lonely People

All The Lonely People

Mike Gayle

Hubert Bird is alone. After his wife died and his daughter moved to Australia for a job, he lost touch with most of his friends, and he hardly ever goes out. Instead, he spends his time alone with his cat while he invents stories about imaginary friends to tell his daughter Rose over the telephone. He doesn't want her to think he's lonely. One day his new neighbor, Ashleigh, needs help and Hubert reluctantly agrees to babysit while Ashleigh goes to a job interview. This one act changes the course of his life, and he soon learns that not only does he have new friends but a new purpose in life as well.

I loved All The Lonely People, and especially its main character Hubert. I couldn't help but hope all the good things he deserved would come his way. I enjoyed this novel's back and forth structure, which gave me the chance to learn about Hubert's experience as an immigrant and his life with his wife Joyce as they set out to start a family and the hardships and hurdles they had to overcome. Mr. Gayle has a lovely writing style that makes this a story that is sad, funny, charming, and utterly absorbing. It gives one hope that all will be well if we open the door and let someone in once in a while. I'm so glad I got to read this one.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

 

Review: The Sicilian Method

 

The Sicilian Method

Andrea Camilleri

One night while Mimi Augello is visiting a lady friend, her husband arrives, and Mimi has to escape through the window. As he makes his way down to a lower balcony, he decides to exit through another apartment. That's when he discovers a corpse lying on a bed. He goes straight to Inspector Montalbano to report what he's found. They decide to wait until the death is reported.

When they get a call the next day about a body, both are surprised to find another body, a local play director who moonlights as a money lender. After investigating, they can't decide if his death is related to the unorthodox methods he uses to audition actors or money lending activities. Montalbano is happy to have the help of a new and beautiful forensic employee, Antonia. He's fallen head of heels for her but, will they be able to find the time to catch a killer? And what about the other body? Will they investigate?

The late Camilleri was a master at creating sympathetic and exciting characters as well as showcasing his beloved Sicily. Just when you think you know Montalbano, he falls in love with someone other than his long term partner Livia. This was a Montalbano like I hadn't seen before, vulnerable to the charms of an unpredictable younger woman. But thankfully, still, a kind, caring, and loyal servant to the people of Vigata.

This review was written by me for City Book Review.

Review: Wolf Kill

Wolf Kill

Cary J. Griffith

When Williston Winthrop dies, there are numerous people on the scene able to identify the body. But, his son Clayton who now goes by the name Sam Rivers isn't one of them. Sam, a wildlife specialist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, hasn't been back to his boyhood home in Northern Minnesota in twenty years. He left after an altercation with his father and didn't return even when his mother passed away. Now the time has come for him to face up to his past and the ghosts he left behind. And, he wants to retrieve a few things his mother left hidden for him.

As soon as he arrives in town, he senses things aren't all they seem. The friends from his father's hunting club have inherited everything, and they aren't keen to have the son return to the area. Then Sam is asked by the local sheriff to look at his father's farm, where some calves have been killed in the barn by wolves. Sam isn't convinced it's the work of wolves. But he will have to work quickly if he wants to gather any evidence before members of the hunting club intervene. Will this incident lead him to discover more mysteries? He sure hopes so because he is convinced that his father is taunting him even from the grave.

Wolf Kill is a riveting, atmospheric tale full of double-dealing and deception. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The characters and the rugged landscape were so well developed that I felt like I'd been on an outdoor adventure. I hope there will be more Sam Rivers' mysteries to come.

Thanks to Adventure Publications for allowing me to read this Advanced Readers' Edition in exchange for an honest review. Wolf Kill will be published in June 2021.

 

Review: Fossil Men

 

Fossil Men

Kermit Pattison

In 1994 a research team headed by University of California, Berkeley Professor Tim White discovered ancient fossilized bones in the Afar region of Ethiopia that were believed to be our oldest ancestor. Ardipithecus ramidus, who came to be known as Ardi, was a female who lived 4.4 million years ago. What made the find so impressive was the fact that Ardi was one million years older than the now-famous Australopithecus afarensis known as Lucy, who was discovered in 1974.

Not everyone agreed with the team's findings at first. And Pattison's brilliant account highlights the numerous conflicts resulting from jealousy, personal animosities, scientists with huge egos, changes in the institutional and academic environments, and resentments caused by the fact that outsiders were often not allowed to see the fossils in question. All of this was compounded by the team's challenges working in a politically volatile region, beset with civil war, tribal war, and bureaucratic difficulties.

If you have ever been interested in the origins of humankind, Fossil Men is a must read. It's a brilliant multi-layered account that showcases the history, politics, and the people who make it their business to search for our elusive ancestors. It is by far the most informative and insightful book I've read this year.

This review was written by for City Book Review.

Review: Welcome Home

 

Welcome Home

Myquillyn Smith

Welcome Home aims to provide tips for hosting and decorating in what the author terms a cozy minimalist style. The best thing about it is the fact that she doesn't encourage you to run out and buy more stuff. She thinks shopping your own home for things you already have will help you create a cozy inviting place to live and host friends and family.

I'm happy that this book made me realize that decorating or creating a cozy home doesn't have to be difficult, complicated, or costly. With the tips within, you should be able to incorporate seasonal changes that make a space more cozy and enjoyable without adding loads of trinkets or store-bought items. The author suggests hosting a gathering that guests will remember by focusing on the mood, the food, and the people. Her signature plan is to prepare two foods from scratch and one special drink, presented in a fun and entertaining way for guests.

Overall, this was a book I enjoyed. It was well written and had some lovely photos as well as a beautiful cover. But I did find it a tad repetitious. Luckily the author provides a lot of personal stories and suggestions from her own experiences.

This review was written by me for City Book Review.