The Island

I fully admit to choosing books by their cover. When I spotted the library's copy of Victoria Hislop's book, The Island, I was intrigued enough to give it a try. What a splendid suprise. I was hooked from the beginning.

The story begins with Alexis traveling to the small town of Plaka, on the Cretan coast, in hopes of finding out about her mother's secretive past. There she meets up with an old woman who tells her the story of her great grandmother, grandmother and mother. Alexis learns of her family's connection to Greece's leper colony on the small island of Spinalonga. This novel is a tale of friendship, family and secrets. I couldn't put it down and think that it would make a great book club book. The only bad thing about this book is that now I really think I need to go to Greece and eat crusty bread and drink wine sitting at a little table overlooking the ocean!

Happy reading - N

Posted by Narelle

My Favourite Mystery Series

Gunshots and blood spots
And mayhem abounded.
Who dunnit, I dunno, I am confounded.
Killers and victims, their sordid hist’ries…
These are a few of my fav’rite myst’ries.

Erin Hart Haunted Ground, Lake of Sorrows
Death and destiny, myth and mystery,forensics, history, archaeology, suspense, in Ireland past and present.


Laurie King Mary Russell series: The Beekeeper's Apprentice; A Monstrous Regiment of Women; A Letter of Mary; The Moor; O Jerusalem; Justice Hall; The Game; Locked Rooms
Young Mary Russell lost her family in a tragedy, but fate lends a hand when she meets and matches the brilliant Sherlock Holmes, who becomes a major player in her life.


Iain Pears Art History Mysteries: The Raphael Affair; The Titian Committee; The Bernini Bust; Giotto's Hand; Death and Restoration; The Immaculate Deception
The adventures of British art historian Jonathan Argyll and two members of the (fictitious) Art Squad of the Italian police: researcher Flavia di Stefano and the head of the squad, General Bottando.


Peter Tremayne Sister Fidelma Mysteries: Absolution by Murder; The Monk who Vanished; Badger's Moon; Act of Mercy; Suffer Little Children; Shroud for the Archbishop; The Subtle Serpent; Valley of the Shadow; The Spider's Web; The Haunted Abbot; Master of Souls; A Prayer for the Damned.
Sister Fidelma is not simply a 7th century Irish religieuse, a former member of the community of St Brigid of Kildare. She is also a qualified dalaigh, or advocate of the ancient law courts. With her companion, Brother Eadulf, Fidelma travels through Ireland, the British Isles, and as far as Rome using her knowledge to find the guilty party.


Sharyn McCrumb The Ballad Novels: If I Ever Return, My Pretty Peggy-O; The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter; She Walks These Hills; The Rosewood Casket; The Ballad of Frankie Silver; The Songcatcher; Ghost Riders.
In the mountains of Appalachia, seer Nora Bonesteel could tell Sheriff Spencer Arrowood and his small staff a thing or two in advance while they try to maintain their town's law and order.


Margaret Coel Wind River series: Eagle Catcher; Dream Stalker; Story Teller; Lost Bird; Spirit Woman; Thunder Keeper; Shadow Dancer; Killing Raven; Wife of Moon; Eye of the Wolf; Drowning Man
Father John O'Malley and attorney Vicki Holden work together to help the people of the Arapaho Wind River Reservation.


Lyn Hamilton Lara McClintoch Archeaological Series: Moche Warrior; Celtic Riddle; African Quest; Magyar Venus; Orkney Scroll.
Antique dealer Lara McClintoch just can't seem to avoid trouble, or involvement in murders (solving them, at least)!


Hailey Lind Art Lover's Mysteries: Feint of Art; Brush with Death; Shooting Gallery
After being discovered working with her grandfather, a master art forger, Annie Kincaid is relegated to opening a faux finishing design company. Unfortunately, the dead bodies that Annie keeps stumbling across are far from faux.

The Gargoyle : a novel

As a lover of medieval architecture, the title of this book caught my attention immediately. Unfortunately, upon reading the synopsis, it lost me; but only temporarily. It's the type of book where I really have to think, do I want to invest my time in this? Thankfully, I did. The Gargoyle, Winnipeg native Andrew Davidson's first novel, delivered on so many levels. And, surprisingly, given the brutal nature of certain parts of the story, presents some of the best examples of tender, true, unconditional love.

The narrator begins his life unwanted, unloved, and neglected after his mother died in childbirth. Handsome, intelligent, an avid gatherer of information, he enters the world of drugs and pornography, until an accident causes severe burns on his body and face. Enter Marianne Engel, sculptor of 'grotesques,' to his hospital bed; she comments on how this is the third time he's been burned, which gets the crux of the story going. Marianne takes the narrator into her home, where she cares for him while often feverishly working on her next grotesque, and tells him of their first meeting seven hundred years ago. Their history is interspersed with stories of 'friends' of hers from the past who personify exemplary love and unselfishness and play a role in the narrator's recovery.

The graphic details of the narrator's accident and physical rehabilitation early in the book does not (thankfully) set the tone for the remainder of the novel, although is it an important element in helping him on the road to redemption. The language and acts of caring and love between the characters are, I found, inspirational without feeling trite or exaggerated. The author does an excellent job of intertwining of medieval history with the present. His characters, although unusual, did not seem unreal or exaggerated.

Andrew Davidson put seven years of research into writing The Gargoyle. I hope he does not take that long to release his next work.

Pat