From the back cover: When Father goes away unexpectedly, Roberta, Peter, Phyllis and their mother have to leave their happy life in London to go and live in a small cottage in the country. The children seek solace in the nearby railway station, and make friends with Perks the Porter and the Station Master himself. But the mystery remains: where is Father, and will he ever … [Read more...] about The Railway Children by E. Nesbit: A
Books
Ashenden by W. Somerset Maugham: A
Book description: When war broke out in 1914, Somerset Maugham was dispatched by the British Secret Service to Switzerland under the guise of completing a play. Multilingual, knowledgeable about many European countries and a celebrated writer, Maugham had the perfect cover, and the assignment appealed to his love of romance, and of the ridiculous. The stories collected in … [Read more...] about Ashenden by W. Somerset Maugham: A
The Great Typo Hunt by Jeff Deck and Benjamin D. Herson: B
From the front flap: The world needed a hero, but how would an editor with no off-switch answer the call? For Jeff Deck, the writing was literally on the wall: NO TRESSPASSING. In that moment, his greater purpose became clear. Dark hordes of typos had descended upon civilization... and only he could wield the marker to defeat them. Review: After a college reunion spurs the … [Read more...] about The Great Typo Hunt by Jeff Deck and Benjamin D. Herson: B
Missing Joseph by Elizabeth George: B+
From the back cover: Deborah and Simon St. James have taken a holiday in the winter landscape of Lancashire, hoping to heal the growing rift in their marriage. But in the barren countryside awaits bleak news: the vicar of Winslough, the man they had come to see, is dead—a victim of accidental poisoning. Unsatisfied with the inquest ruling and unsettled by the close association … [Read more...] about Missing Joseph by Elizabeth George: B+
Naked Heat by Richard Castle: B
From the front flap: When New York's most vicious gossip columnist, Cassidy Towne, is found dead, Heat uncovers a gallery of high-profile suspects, all with compelling motives for killing the most feared muckraker in Manhattan. Heat's murder investigation is complicated by her surprise reunion with superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook. In the wake of their recent … [Read more...] about Naked Heat by Richard Castle: B