How To Raise An Elephant

 In the latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, How To Raise An Elephant (#984), you know you're in for a cozy story of ordinary Botswana folks' problems, and Precious Ramotswe's commonsensical solutions.

Leave it to part time mechanic/part time detective Charlie to borrow Mma Ramotswe's beloved tiny white van and return it with a damaged rear bumper, strange smell and no explanation about either.  Precious is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.  But she and Mma Makutsi have had a visitor to their office.  A distant cousin of Precious has come to ask her for a favor, a favor that both women feel needs further investigation.  

In the meantime, Precious and Mr. J.L.B. Maketoni have new neighbors next door.  Judging by the raised voices, all is not well over there.  Precious would never pry, but she is a detective, so she's noticed a few odd things about them...

Reading this story makes me even sorrier that we missed our trip to Botswana last year.  It is evident in his writing how much McCall Smith loves this country.  He can write effectively about the need for elephant conservation without belaboring his readers.  His approach to getting people to do the right thing comes across in Precious' warm moral compass.  A treat, as always.

Shipped

 No great literature here in Shipped (#983) by Angie Hockman, but it nicely does what it sets out to do: to entertain with modern twists on an age old story.  It's perfect for beach reading.

When Henley Evans locks horns with a Zoom co-worker in a race to win a coveted promotion at SeaQuest, the company decides to send them both on one of the ecology-oriented cruises to the Galapagos.  Neither has ever been on an adventure cruise before, but both are determined to highlight the best aspects of their trip to promote increased sales.  Complications ensue.

You know they will wind up together in the end, but all the fun is how they get there!  Loved the projectile vomiting scene!  Would definitely read more by Ms. Hockman. 

The Lost Apothecary

 In Sarah Jenner's debut novel, The Lost Apothecary (#982), she switches between telling the stories of three women: two in 1791 London, and a present day American tourist in London.  Because this is fiction, you know that their stories are bound to intersect.

Nella is a female apothecary in 1791 London whose specialty, learned from her mother, is treating women's problems, the ones male physicians can't be bothered with.  After her mother's death, Nella's practice has taken a more sinister turn; she still provides solutions to women's problems, but now that includes the troublesome men in their lives. Enter Eliza, whose mistress wishes to be rid of her philandering husband.  She is intrigued by Nella's hidden workshop and pesters her to learn more.

Meanwhile, Caroline has just arrived in present day London on her romantic tenth anniversary trip.  But she's alone, as things did not happen as she expected.  Her safe, comfortable life and marriage have fallen apart in the last few days and she needs time on her own to think.  What happened to her own plans for her life and career?  A chance encounter with a tour guide persuades her to join a mudlarking expedition on the banks of the river Thames.  The discovery of a tiny glass vial etched with the image of a bear sets in motion the events which will lead to finding the Lost Apothecary.

It was a good read, and it's easy to understand why this book has made it onto so many Book Club reading lists.  Moral conundrums abound here, both past and present.  But, oh, why can't the editors cull the anachronisms before sending the book to press?  It's not using your "smarts" to "okay" a historical fiction novel which tries otherwise to fit the eighteenth century language!  It's so jarring!  It's my own personal hobbyhorse, but I'm going to continue to ride it!

The Last Train to Key West

Chanel Cleeton deftly blends the stories of three very different women who all find themselves in Key West, Florida the fateful Labor Day weekend of 1935 in her latest novel The Last Train to Key West (#981).  Alternating viewpoints, we first meet Helen, an abused and heavily pregnant waitress working at Ruby's Diner near the train station.  She is near the end of her emotional tether.  Next, Mirta is a brand new Cuban bride fresh off the ferry from Havana.  She knows little about her husband Anthony yet, except that he is rich and involved in criminal activities in New York and Cuba.  She doesn't even know how to order Anthony's coffee when they stop in at Ruby's.  Lastly, we meet Elizabeth, a striking redhead who has fled her fiancé in New York City to find a man.  All she knows is that the last letter from him was postmarked Key West, Florida.  Now that she's here, how will she locate him when she can't even afford the piece of Ruby's famous key lime pie that her waitress has just put in front of her?

The fates of these women are bound together as a monstrous hurricane approaches the Florida Keys.  By the time the forecasts are confirmed, it's too late for most of the people in the Keys to evacuate.  In a last ditch attempt to rescue the hundreds of WWI veterans who are living in makeshift camps while they work on building the Overseas Highway, the government has sent a train for them and waiting civilians.  It will literally be the last train to Key West.

I must admit, I picked up this book because of the historical background.  The Labor Day hurricane of 1935 was one of the most destructive storms to hit the United States.  The loss of life and property was staggering, as described here.  You may not be able to appreciate just how isolated the Keys are unless you have driven from the mainland to Key West over miles of bridges.  Ms. Cleeton captures that extremely well here, as well as the elements of lawlessness and independence which still prevail to a great extent there today.  If you only think of Hemingway and sunset drinking rituals when you think of Key West, this is an interesting way to broaden your perspective.

A Royal Affair - A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery

 I think I enjoyed A Royal Affair (#980) even more than Allison Montclair's debut novel in the Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series, The Right Sort of Man (See my post of 9/30/19.)  As London begins to rebuild itself after the ravages of WWII, people need help rebuilding their lives as well.  Thus, the Right Sort Marriage Bureau was born from a chance meeting at a wedding.

Gwen Bainbridge, an aristocratic war widow, has teamed up with Iris Sparks, a woman of many useful skills gained from her work during the war.  Their fledgling business had some success, most notably in aiding the police in solving the murder of one of their clients.  A new customer turns out to be Gwen's cousin, who works for the Queen.  She wants to hire the pair to vet a marriage prospect.  Princess Elizabeth has been sent letters demanding money in exchange for some potentially damaging letters concerning Prince Philip of Greece.  The Palace needs to know through discreet sources what the nature of the threat is, and whether or not it is real.

As Gwen and Iris search for answers in murky political waters, the stakes are upped when they discover a body at a rendezvous, and traps laid for them.  Above all, the happiness of the future monarch hangs in the balance.

A Royal Affair was an especially poignant read, as I had just watched Prince Philip's funeral on TV.  At least there was no doubt that Sparks & Bainbridge would get to the bottom of this affair!  These mysteries contain just the right balance of action, humor and moral dilemmas to keep things interesting.  Gwen is struggling to regain custody of her beloved son from her controlling in-laws after her breakdown following her husband's death.  Iris, though brash and confident on the outside, is trying to cope with the psychic wounds and betrayals from her Intelligence work during the war.  Both find unexpected friendship and purpose through the Right Sort Marriage Bureau.  Please keep more mysteries coming!

I just have to add one more comment about the cover art on A Royal Affair.  Ugh!  The more I looked at the main figure, the uglier it got - the claw-like hands, the bulging left buttock, and out of proportion body.  Not to mention that the kiss the figure is watching never happens in the book.  It's not even hinted at!  I hope they find a new person to illustrate future Sparks & Bainbridge Mysteries, or I may be forced to cover them in brown paper before I can read them!  Just my opinion.

Perestroika in Paris

 I was quite taken by Jane Smiley's novel Perestroika in Paris (#979).  I suppose some would characterize this story of a racehorse who wonders off into central Paris as a fantasy since the animals talk, but I think of it more in line with one of the greatest children's classics, Charlotte's Web.  The predicaments and feelings of both the animals and the humans in this story are as real and heartfelt.

The cast of characters here include Perestroika herself, a dog living on her wits, an aging raven, a pair of ducks and even some rats!  Even though these animals are on their own, they must intersect with humans, for good or ill.  Chief among them is the small boy Etienne who discovers this band.  We learn that he has problems of his own, living in an old mansion with only his ancient great-grandmother.  Add to them the local gendarme, the groundskeeper of the Champs du Mars who spots evidence left by Perestroika, and several observant shopkeepers and you have quite the ensemble.

I think the lesson in this engaging story is that when you take care of each other, you take care of yourselves.  Charmingly told, and not to be missed.

The Thursday Murder Club

 Oh, how I enjoyed Richard Osman's debut novel The Thursday Murder Club (#978)!  It's not quite like any other murder mystery book I've ever read, and that's one of its major appeals.

Set in a posh English retirement community, Cooper's Chase inhabitants have many opportunities for enrichment activities.  It just so happens that an eclectic group of them have formed The Thursday Murder Club (because Thursday is when the Jigsaw Room is available for them to meet).  One of the original members is a former police detective, so the group happily spends its time reviewing her cold case files and trying to crack them.

This colorful group possess a wide variety of skills and talents, including roping in two members of the Fairhaven Police.  PC De Freitas and DI Hudson both think that lecturing these senior citizens will merely involve lecturing them on having window locks and knowing who is at your door before you let them in.  Instead, they find themselves very much on the receiving end of pertinent information from the club when an actual murder takes place with implications for Cooper's Chase.

It's an absolute delight with the requisite red herrings and satisfying solution(s).  It's rare that a book can make me laugh out loud, but this one did!  Don't miss it.  I sincerely hope Richard Osman has more to come from The Thursday Murder Club!