Saturday, October 3, 2020

The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park

ISBN-10 : 1728209390 - Paperback $10.99
Publisher : Sourcebooks Fire (April 7, 2020), 320 pages.
Review copy courtesy of Sourcebooks and NetGalley.

The blurb:  Nate Jae-Woo Kim wants to be rich. When one of his classmates offers Nate a ridiculous amount of money to commit grade fraud, he knows that taking the windfall would help support his prideful Korean family, but is compromising his integrity worth it?

Luck comes in the form of Kate Anderson, Nate's colleague at the zombie-themed escape room where he works. She approaches Nate with a plan: a local tech company is hosting a weekend-long survivalist competition with a huge cash prize. It could solve all of Nate's problems, and she needs the money too.

If the two of them team up, Nate has a real shot of winning the grand prize. But the real challenge? Making through the weekend with his heart intact…


My Review: If I could give Suzanne Park's debut novel  The Perfect Escape 10 stars instead of 5, I would! When I think of debut novel, I am excited but am willing to overlook holes in the plot or flatness in the characters.  The Perfect Escape doesn't feel like a debut novel because the characters of Nate Kim and Kate Anderson are so well crafted!  They come alive so clearly and their humor, foibles, generosity and kindness shine through.  

There are villains a plenty among the private school classmates that Nate deals with.  But Nate's closeness to his family and his relationship with his 5-year old sister are so real.  Suzanne Park captures the sacrifices that Nate's parents make and their frugality is treated with sympathy and humor.  Even a non-Korean American understands the relationship, the expectations, the difficulty and the pride that Nate must have in his parents' persistence in the face of poverty and no safety net.  

If  you are looking for a funny, heartwarming boy-meets-girl story, you'll be glad to find that The Perfect Escape also contains bullies, zombies, overstretched parents, helicopter parents, entrepreneurial zeal and a double dose of humor. 

#WeNeedDiverseBooks #SuzannePark #AsianAmericanLiterature #KoreanAmericanWriters #NetGalley

About the Author:  Suzanne Park is a Korean-American writer who was born and raised in Tennessee.   In her former life as a comedienne, she appeared on BET, was the winner of the Seattle Sierra Mist Comedy Competition, and placed as a semi-finalist in NBC's "Stand Up For Diversity" showcase in San Francisco.  

She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, female offspring, and a sneaky rat that creeps around on her back patio. In her spare time, she procrastinates.

The Silver Shooter (3rd of 3 in the Rose Gallagher series) by Erin Lindsey

ISBN-10 : 1250623448 - Paperback $17.99
Publisher : Minotaur Books (November 17, 2020), 352 pages. 
Review copy courtesy of Minotaur Books and NetGalley.

The blurb: It's the spring of 1887, and Rose Gallagher is finally coming into her own. She's the proud owner of a lovely little home near Washington Square, where she lives with her mother and friend Pietro, and she's making a name for herself as a Pinkerton agent with a specialty in things . . . otherworldly. She and her partner Thomas are working together better than ever, and mostly managing to push aside romantic feelings for one another. Mostly.

Things are almost too good to be true―so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.

It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame.

With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine…

My review:  New York City during the Gilded Age has always fascinated me, so I've enjoyed reading Erin Lindsey's Rose Gallagher mysteries with fantasy.  Aside from supernatural phenomena, in Lindsey's world there is the concept of "luck".   Though only about 1% of the population has "luck"/supernatural powers, this special gift is prevalent among the wealthiest citizens.  In this 3nd installment,  The Silver Shooter, Rose Gallagher is further from her role as former housemaid and comfortable in her position as Pinkerton partner to her former employer the dashing and wealthy Thomas Wiltshire of Fifth Avenue/England.  Rose and Thomas work in the Pinkerton Agency's Special Branch and are hired to deal with supernatural problems/phenomena.  Rose Gallagher's special skills in identifying and dealing with the dead are critical to their investigations.

When Erin Lindsey takes us to New York City's Gilded Age, she doesn't hold back. In the previous book, Rose and Thomas worked to save Teddy Roosevelt's life during his unsuccessful run for mayor.   Roosevelt has luck in the form of his unusual charisma and a physical draw that he has on people.  This time, Teddy Roosevelt is back and has requested their help to deal with strange and large scale deaths of cattle in the Badlands.  

I like the characters and Gilded Age New York as Erin Lindsey paints it.  Lindsey gives us a diverse city with ethnic neighborhoods but there is respect for the different cultures and what the Asians ("Celestials") and other new immigrants (Italian, Irish, etc) face.  I like how Rose mingles and befriends people from the different communities from Chinese Mei and her father Wang to African American Clara and her family's longtime Italian tenant Pietro.  In Lindsey's New York the differences exist without animosity, racism or cruelty.  

As an aside, I've read books that proclaim their historical or cultural authenticity with open displays of prejudice.  Sure, the character may think and say "chink" or "gook"  but I don't have to spend time in that world with that character.  Even if I was getting into the book, the "chink" is enough to stop the suspension of disbelief and set me looking for something else to read. Rose Gallagher's books have the opposite reaction -- they are a sort of celebration of hope and it comes across clearly. 

In The Silver Shooter, we go beyond New York City to the Dakotas on the request of Teddy Roosevelt. Before leaving, Rose and Thomas approach Tesla to ask if he has any inventions that will help them identify "luck".  Telsa's abilities as an inventor are magnified by his "luck" working with electricity and inventiveness.  The appearance of historical figures in the narrative are a wink to the reader and much appreciated.

But the real problem that Rose and Thomas face is finding the cause of deaths of cattle and men in the Dakotas.  The destruction, thievery, loss of horses and cattle has increased the tensions between the ranchers and the Native Americans. The few Native Americans in the area have already been forced out of their land and homes but are in danger of being destroyed by the US Army on the request of powerful ranchers.  Thomas and their team must determine what is causing the attacks and find a way to solve the problem before the loss of another innocent life.  Rose, Thomas and their friends from New York's Fifth Avenue set risk life and limb.  In The Silver Spoon, Erin Lindsey delivers another fun, engrossing read! 

About the Author: ERIN LINDSEY has lived and worked in dozens of countries around the world, but has only ever called two places home: her native city of Calgary and her adopted hometown of New York. In addition to the Rose Gallagher mysteries, she is the author of the Bloodbound series of fantasy novels from Ace. She divides her time between Calgary and Brooklyn with her husband and a pair of half-domesticated cats.

Thursday, October 1, 2020

A Golden Grave by Erin Lindsey

ISBN-10 : 1250180678  - Paperback $17.99
Publisher : Minotaur Books (September 17, 2019), 400 pages.
Review copy courtesy of Minotaur Books and NetGalley.

The blurb: Rose Gallagher always dreamed of finding adventure, so her new life as a freshly-minted Pinkerton agent ought to be everything she ever wanted. Only a few months ago, she was just another poor Irish housemaid from Five Points; now, she’s learning to shoot a gun and dance the waltz and throw a grown man over her shoulder. Better still, she’s been recruited to the special branch, an elite unit dedicated to cases of a paranormal nature, and that means spending her days alongside the dashing Thomas Wiltshire.

But being a Pinkerton isn’t quite what Rose imagined, and not everyone welcomes her into the fold. Meanwhile, her old friends aren’t sure what to make of the new Rose, and even Thomas seems to be having second thoughts about his junior partner. So when a chilling new case arrives on Rose’s doorstep, she jumps at the chance to prove herself – only to realize that the stakes are higher than she could have imagined. Six delegates have been murdered at a local political convention, and the police have no idea who–or what–is responsible. One thing seems clear: The killer’s next target is a candidate for New York City mayor, one Theodore Roosevelt.

Convinced that something supernatural is afoot, Rose and Thomas must track down the murderer before Roosevelt is taken out of the race–permanently. But this killer is unlike any they’ve faced before, and hunting him down will take them from brownstones to ballrooms to Bowery saloons. Not quite comfortable anywhere, Rose must come to terms with her own changed place in society–and the fact that some would do anything to see her gone from it entirely.

My review:  New York City during the Gilded Age has always fascinated me, so I've enjoyed reading Erin Lindsey's Rose Gallagher mysteries with fantasy.  In the 2nd installment,  A Golden Grave, Rose Gallagher is no longer the housemaid but living in the regular quarters of Thomas Wiltshire's Fifth Avenue townhouse.  Rose is in training as a member of the Pinkerton Agency's Special Branch and works alongside her former employer Thomas Wiltshire.  The Special Branch deals with supernatural powers and Rose Gallagher's special skills are critical to their investigations.

When Erin Lindsey takes us to New York City's Gilded Age, she doesn't hold back. We visit private clubs, meet with Teddy Roosevelt as a young man and candidate for Mayor of New York City.  Though only about 1% of the population has "luck"/supernatural powers, this special gift is prevalent among the wealthiest citizens.  When multiple deaths of Roosevelt's supporters occur during a political convention, Rose, Thomas and their team must determine whether a new form of luck is involved and how to find those that wield power.  It takes ingenuity, courage and special sleuthing but A Golden Grave is an adventure worth following! 


About the Author: ERIN LINDSEY has lived and worked in dozens of countries around the world, but has only ever called two places home: her native city of Calgary and her adopted hometown of New York. In addition to the Rose Gallagher mysteries, she is the author of the Bloodbound series of fantasy novels from Ace. She divides her time between Calgary and Brooklyn with her husband and a pair of half-domesticated cats.

Monday, September 28, 2020

Death of A New American (A Jane Prescott mystery) by Mariah Fredericks

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Death of a New American (A Jane Prescott mystery) by Mariah Fredericks
ISBN-10 : 1250252350 - Paperback $11.99
Publisher : Minotaur; Reprint Edition (March 17, 2020), 320 pages.
Review copy courtesy of Minotaur Books and NetGalley.

The blurb: In 1912, as New York reels from the news of the Titanic disaster, ladies’ maid Jane Prescott travels to Long Island with the Benchley family. Their daughter Louise is to marry William Tyler, at their uncle and aunt’s mansion; the Tylers are a glamorous, storied couple, their past filled with travel and adventure. Now, Charles Tyler is known for putting down New York’s notorious Italian mafia, the Black Hand, and his wife Alva has settled into domestic life.

As the city visitors adjust to the rhythms of the household, and plan Louise’s upcoming wedding, Jane quickly befriends the Tyler children’s nanny, Sofia―a young Italian-American woman. However, one unusually sultry spring night, Jane is woken by a scream from the nursery―and rushes in to find Sofia murdered, and the carefully locked window flung open.

The Tylers believe that this is an attempted kidnapping of their baby gone wrong; a warning from the criminal underworld to Charles Tyler. But Jane is asked to help with the investigation by her friend, journalist Michael Behan, who knows that she is uniquely placed to see what other tensions may simmer just below the surface in this wealthy, secretive household. Was Sofia’s murder fall-out from the social tensions rife in New York, or could it be a much more personal crime?


My review:  I'm always up for a mystery and I'm delighted with Mariah Fredericks' Jane Prescott series. In Jane Prescott we get a close look into the lives of Fifth Avenue society during the Gilded Age. Jane works as lady's maid to Charlotte Benchley, the daughter of a wealthy inventor. The Benchleys have nearly unlimited wealth but need the help of tastemakers to navigate society. Jane's previous employer had been related to everyone in society either by birth or marriage. Jane's education, intelligence and discretion have won her the friendship and appreciation of her employers and their friends. So, when a suspicious death occurs, Jane wants to clear suspicion from people that she cares about. Her investigations take her upstairs and downstairs in Fifth Avenue mansions. It is a delight to follow Jane Prescott into the homes and streets of New York during the Gilded Age in Death of a New American.

About the Author: MARIAH FREDERICKS was born and raised in New York City, where she still lives with her family. She is the author of several YA novels. Death of a New American is her second novel to feature ladies’ maid Jane Prescott.

Sunday, September 27, 2020

Ellie Alexander's Without A Brew (4th out of 4 Sloan Krause mystery)

 Without a Brew (Sloan Krause #4)

Without A Brew (4th out of 4) by Ellie Alexander
ISBN-10 : 1250205778 - Hardcover $26.99
Publisher Minotaur Books (November 10, 2020), 304 pages.
Review copy courtesy of Minatour Books and NetGalley.


The blurb:
While one couple staying with them seems completely smitten, a flashy group arrives in the evening demanding rooms. Sloan and Garrett are less than impressed, but agree to rent to them anyway. The night takes a turn when brewery patron Liv Paxton finishes her frothy pint and, with no previous plan for an overnight stay in Leavenworth, eagerly takes Sloan up on the offer of sanctuary from the snow—until she has a strange run in with some locals and the other guests. Sloan could be imagining things, but when Liv's room is found trashed the next morning, a hateful message painted on her car, and Liv herself is nowhere to be found, Sloan is convinced another mystery is brewing. With many of the potential suspects hunkering down under Nitro's roof, she knows her co-workers and friends won't be safe until she serves up the killer a hoppy pint of justice.

My Review:

I've have fallen in love with Ellie Alexander's writing and her two mystery series set in fictional small towns in the Pacific Northwest.  The Bakeshop Mysteries and the Sloan Krause mysteries transport you to communities and towns that I would love to visit for their climate, the friendliness of the inhabitants, the absence of crime (except as relates to these mysterious murders) and the delicious food available.  In the way that I'd escape to St Mary's Mead, I am happy to spend hours in Leavenworth, Washington with Sloan Krause and her Krause family and Garrett and her Nitro workplace family.  

From the earlier mysteries, it is clear that while Sloan and her husband have separated, the Krause holds Sloan close and she remains an important part of the brewery and the town. In #3 of the series, Beyond A Reasonable Stout, Sloan learns about her mother and that the Krauses had known her  biological family.  Sloan is upset at Ursula and draws away from the Krauses as she learns more about her past.  But there is only so much that you can push away family and in Without A Brew we return to the mystery of Sloan's past and try to heal the breach with her mother-in-law and close friend Ursula.  

I'm drawn to the Sloan Krause mysteries because of the relationships in the Krause family.  But as Without A Brew is a murder mystery,  Ellie Alexander goes far beyond the family drama.  Nitro is led to open their B&B earlier than they'd hoped.  Their soft opening brings them a strange mix of guests.  When one of their guests is found dead, Sloan and Garrett are led to investigate the murder. They uncover more than one motive and several potential suspects.  With more bravery than sense, Sloan undertakes to test the alibis and narrow down the suspects.  Without A Brew delivers the sense of community, delight in food and drink and an engaging mystery. 

About the Author:  ELLIE ALEXANDER is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she's not coated in flour, you'll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research. She is the author of the Bakeshop Mysteries, including Meet Your Baker and A Batter of Life and Death, as well as the Sloan Krause mysteries.