Foreign Bodies by Cynthia Ozick

I'll start by saying I did not love this book. I did like the main character, schoolteacher and independent woman Bea Nightingale. I liked the setting--Paris in the 50s. And the author had some interesting perspectives on human nature.

The story started out well--Bea is ordered by her demanding (and estranged) brother, Marvin, to track down his son, Julian, in Paris and bring him home to California. The problem is Julian is kind of boring, his sister Iris is kind of a flake, Marvin is a bully--and the story really bogs down in the middle.

Bea pretty much ignores her obnoxious brother and does her own thing in trying to straighten out Julian and Iris's lives. And we applaud her efforts. But it wasn't enough to hold my interest.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox

For an utterly compelling read, check out The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. It starts as any old day for 30-something Scottish shopkeeper Iris Lockhart. Then she gets a phone call that changes her life. She has a great aunt (Esme Lennox) who has been locked up in an asylum for 60 years and now the asylum is shutting down and she is responsible for Esme. Iris thinks there must be a mistake but no, Esme is indeed the well-kept family secret.

A great deal of the story is told through flashbacks from both Esme's and her sister Kitty's perspective. (And you have to read carefully to realize which one is "remembering" at the time.) Piece by piece, Esme's story is revealed and it is heartbreaking. The book also says a lot about how little control over their lives women had, back in the day.

At a mere 245 pages, you'll have a hard time putting it down. (The author is Maggie O'Farrell)

A Thousand Sisters by Lisa Shannon

Lisa Shannon was living a successful life in Portland with her business partner/significant other, Ted. One day, she happened to catch an Oprah episode on the plight of women in Congo who are being raped, tortured, and killed in unbelievable numbers in a power struggle that has gone on for over 10 years. Shannon feels a compelling need to help. She begins by raising money and eventually goes to Congo to see for herself what life is really like in that beautiful yet dangerous land. A Thousand Sisters is the story of her journey.

At times in the book, Shannon seems overwhelmed by what she has taken on. And she wonders whether she's really even making a difference. But as she goes through the individual stories, you can see that she and her organization really are changing for the better the lives of some of her "sisters." I loved the inclusion of photos she took while in Congo so we can "meet" some of the people she talks about. An inspirational story.

Crescent Dawn/Skating Around The Law

For a rollicking good adventure, check out Crescent Dawn, the latest in the Dirk Pitt series by Clive Cussler. Dirk, who had been running NUMA in the last few books, is back in the thick of things, along with his grown children, Dirk Jr. and Summer. There are explosions in mosques, explosions on boats, kidnappings, lost treasures, sibling psychopaths. It's all great fun. A perfect beach book, even if it is the middle of December.

For a mystery with a different spin, check out Skating Around The Law by Joelle Charbonneau. The heroine, Rebecca Robbins, has been forced to move back to the small Illinois town she couldn't wait to leave years earlier. Her mother has died and left her the town's roller rink. Her plans to sell the rink and get back to her real life in Chicago run amuck when the town handyman is found dead at the rink. Since the local police force seems incapable of solving the crime, Rebecca decides to handle it herself, which leads to a series of adventures, misadventures, and a major flirtation with the town's studly veterinarian. A cute story in a unique setting with an engaging heroine.

Commuters by Emily Gray Tedrowe

What's it like to get married later in life? That's the premise of the wonderful new Commuters by Emily Tedrowe. The story starts on 78-year-old Winnie's wedding day to Jerry. As with any other bride, Winnie is full of love and optimism. Commuters tells the story of the first year of their marriage as they share moments of great joy while facing family problems and health issues. The story is told through a series of alternating perspectives--Winnie's, her daughter Rachel's, and Jerry's grandson Avery's. Jerry's angry, tightly wound daughter, Annette, also plays a major role, though she has only a handful of pages of dialog.

I loved the character of Winnie. She's kind and compassionate, romantic and sexy--and she shows a steely resolve when it comes to standing up for what she feels is best for her husband. Highly recommended.

Cold Dish by Craig Johnson

Cold Dish is the first in a series about a sheriff in Wyoming. I read one of the later books in the series first (Another Man's Moccasins) and liked it better. The main character, Walt, is interesting, as is his Native American best friend, Henry Standing Bear. And the main plot had potential--a Native American girl with fetal alcohol syndrome, Melissa, is raped by 4 white boys, who pretty much get off scot-free. (And only one of them seems to feel any remorse.) Suddenly, one of the boys is found dead. Then another. Walt is on the case but it takes him FOREVER to solve it and the resolution comes kind of out of nowhere.

With this book, as is sometimes the case with the first in a series, it takes the author a while to establish his/her landscape and characters. In this case, it took way too much time. There are a lot of descriptions of the scenery. And a lot of flashbacks involving Walt and Ben. I know that the author eventually did find his groove because I really enjoyed Another Man's Moccasins. So I'd say give the author a try but start later in the series.