Miss Benson’s Beetle
Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce (NCN Book Club Selection June 2026) Spinster Margery Benson is barely getting by on her salary as a school teacher in post-war London. One […]
Miss Buncle’s Book
Miss Buncle’s Book by D.E. Stevenson ©1934 (Recently, I ordered several books from my favorite British bookseller and publisher, Persephone Books, founded in 1999 to reprint neglected, mainly mid-twentieth century, […]
A Perfect Hand
A Perfect Hand by Ayelet Waldman Unlike most historical romances, the heroine of A Perfect Hand is not a member of the aristocracy but a lady’s maid, Miss Alice Lockey. […]
Villa Coco
Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer Geoffrey is a clueless young American who accepts a post as an archivist in Italy. As he is patently unqualified and doesn’t speak Italian, […]
The Correspondent
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans I read this book a few months ago. I liked it but honestly can’t remember a thing about it! Which says it all–pleasant but not […]
When the Going Was Good
When the Going Was Good by Graydon Carter If you too remember the golden years of magazine publishing, you will love Graydon Carter’s memoir, When the Going Was Good. But […]
The Un-Retirement
The Un-Retirement by Penny Mirren Recent widow and retiree Maggie Lawford is thrilled with her principal role as doting grandmother to precious Alice, but she occasionally considers finding a proper […]
Strangers, A Memoir of a Marriage
Strangers, A Memoir of a Marriage by Belle Burden So many people (women!) have read this book or heard the author interviewed on the morning television shows that this […]
The Ending Writes Itself
The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke Six authors are invited to spend the weekend at the isolated island home of the famous author Arthur Fletch. This is a surprising […]
How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder
How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder by Nina McConigley How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder is another COA novel, if defined somewhat loosely. The fish out of water protagonists are […]
O Caledonia
O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker (NCN Book Club Selection May) As you know, I dislike coming of age (COA) novels, and here’s why–they are uniformly grim. In British COA stories, […]
Yankee Doodle Dixie
Yankee Doodle Dixie by Lisa Patton Yankee Doodle Dixie chronicles the adventures of divorcee and professional Southerner, Leelee Satterfield. I was disappointed in this sequel to Patton’s bestselling novel Whistlin’ […]
Cleopatra
Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff My sister-in-law couldn’t put it down; another friend couldn’t put it down fast enough! Two different reactions to Stacy Schiff’s biography of Cleopatra. I take the […]
Being Mortal
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande Our book club selection this month was Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, author of three bestsellers, Complications, Better, […]
The Jezebel Remedy
The Jezebel Remedy by Martin Clark A Parnassus First Editions Club selection, The Jezebel Remedy isn’t your typical legal thriller. Married for twenty years, Lisa and Joe Stone are also […]