And After Many Days, by Jowhor Ile

This book was sent to me as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. In return, I was asked to write an honest review of my own opinion of the book.

This was a very absorbing book, a slow, descriptive narrative in parts, but at the same time, a thrilling plot that kept me reading, anxious to learn what happened to the 17 year old brother, the good-humored, peace-keeping elder brother who suddenly disappeared one summer afternoon.
The author, a native of Nigeria, took us back to the early childhood of the three children of the Utu family, familiarizing us with the thriving city of Port Harcourt, Nigeria's capital city, as well as the family's ancestral village of Ogibah.

"One rarely finds ‘page-turner’ and ‘poetry’ in the same sentence, but And After Many Days is a rarity indeed…An achingly tender portrait of family life, a brilliantly executed whodunnit, a searing critique of Nigerian politics, a meditation on love. The Utu family will stay with me always."
—Taiye Selasi, author of Ghana Must Go

The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins

I bought this book because it was recommended by some of my friends. I tried to start it a few months ago, but distractions kept me from being able to immerse myself in it at that time, and I find that immersion is required for many of the 19th century English classics (Austen, and Dickens, for example).

This is a Bantam Classic paperback in gently used condition. The cover is a little worn and the pages are slightly yellowed with age (3rd printing, 1986). They are not marked nor dog-eared.

The Moonstone is considered the first modern detective novel, but Collins himself called it "A Romance". Certainly, it had romance in it, but the major plot revolved around the solving of the mysterious disappearance of a large diamond which had been presented to a young lady on her 18th birthday.
The story begins many centuries before, with a large golden-yellow diamond set in the forehead of an Asian Indian idol, the moon god. It is constantly watched by three Brahmin Indians, succeeding in turn by three more in each generation. It is their duty to always know where the diamond is, and if possible, to return it to its rightful place. Its turbulent history includes a curse, many wars and invasions, desecration and theft. Finally, another invading army, the British, sack and plunder the castle, and when it's all over, the diamond has been removed to England.
Two years after the Moonstone has been discovered missing from the sitting room of Miss Rachel Verinder, a family member and their lawyer decide it is worthwhile to have a written record of all the events of that evening and following. Thus we have the story, written as reports from the principals, beginning with the family's elderly and faithful servant, the butler and steward, Mr. Gabriel Betteredge. Reports are also given by Miss Clack, a "poor relation" spinster lady who is much concerned with missionary endeavors and is given to writing in excessively flowery language; by Mr. Bruff, the family's solicitor, mentioned above; by a cousin and suitor of Miss Verlinder, Franklin Blake; by physician's assistant Ezra Jennings; by the famous London detective, Sergeant Cuff; and by the family doctor, Mr. Candy.
The Epilogue consists of three more reports: by Sergeant Cuff's man, by a ship captain, and by Mr. Murthwaite, a man known to the family, who is well traveled in Asia and in Europe.
Of all the characters, I liked Mr. Betteredge best. (I'll have to re-read Robinson Crusoe now!) I also liked Ezra Jennings and Sgt. Cuff, and I learned to like Rachel Verinder. She began as a spoiled teenager, but grew to a wise, forgiving, and loving young lady. Of course, the most pitiable was poor Rosanna Spearman, who loved in vain.
There are several suspects who had motives for stealing the diamond, and I confess I was unable to guess who was the guilty party.

Radigan, by Louis L'Amour

Read and reviewed in November, 2014

This is not my usual genre, but I enjoyed it very much! I will look for other books by Louis L'Amour.
A fast-paced Western mystery/romance. A lone rancher finds trouble when a mysterious lady with 3000 head of cattle and 30 men comes to take his land.
A psychological thriller disguised as a Western romance. Radigan must out-think, out-track, and out-wit his opponents if he hopes to keep his ranch and even his life. I was kept reading on the edge of my seat! The ending wasn't wrapped up neatly, leaving much to the reader to surmise. I would have liked a wedding!

The William Monk Mysteries: The First Three Novels, by Anne Perry

Read, reviewed, and given away in January, 2015

I thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy of the first three William Monk mysteries by Anne Perry. Each of the three actually was two mysteries:The whodunnit in each case and also the developing revelations of William Monk"s identity and background following an accident in which he sustained a head injury and subsequent amnesia.

Mr. Monk is a police detective in 1850s London. Ms. Perry describes the Dickensian scenes very well, and the reader is drawn into the scenes: the busy street life, the pubs, the overwhelming and frightening ghettos, as well as the luxuries of the upper classes. The endings were completely surprising, uncomfortably so.
I will look for more William Monk mysteries by Anne Perry.

Saving Faith, by David Baldacci

Read, reviewed, and released April-May, 2014

Full of conspiracies, danger, and intrigue, fast-paced with some quiet moments to catch our breath. A high-powered Washington DC lobbyist and his capable assistant get mixed up with the FBI, the CIA and a private investigator. Who is the enemy, who can trust whom, who is out to kill whom? This kept me flipping the pages back and forth to refresh myself on the details surrounding each encounter.

Anna's Book, by Ruth Rendell

Read and reviewed in April, 2014. Released later

Boy, was I wrong! Not a gentle family memoir as it seemed in the beginning. As they say, the plot thickens, and how! First we learn that the protagonist, Ann's beloved Aunt Swannie had an identity crisis at the age of 58. Because of an anonymous poison pen note, she doubted that she was the birth daughter of her parents, Anna and Rasmus Westerby. Ann's research led to the accounts of a grisly murder in her grandparents' old neighborhood and the subsequent disappearance of the victim's child. Very well written, first as a diary, then as news articles from the time, there are many twists and turns, leading the reader one way, then another. Who were Swannie's real parents? Who killed Lizzie Roper? What happened to Lizzie's little daughter, Edith? Will the answers ever be discovered?

The English Assassin, by Daniel Silva

Read and reviewed in March, 2013. Released later

A fast-paced thriller involving stolen art by the Nazi regime during World War II and the subsequent attempts to restore it to the rightful owners or their heirs. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, the Swiss government and banking establishments are portrayed as Nazi collaborators and as unwilling to relinquish the hidden works of art, even as late as the 21st century.
The plot includes references to the world of classical music concerts and the excruciatingly delicate craft of art restoration.
I found it very interesting as it is fiction based on historical research, and I learned about places and people of which I did not know.

The Right Attitude to Rain: An Isabel Dalhousie Novel, by Alexander McCall Smith

Book image courtesy of Google Books

Read, reviewed, and released in April-May, 2013

A quiet, enjoyable book. Ms. Dalhousie is a philosopher and editor of a journal on applied ethics, and she spends much time musing and conversing about morality, ethics, and relationships.
On first glance, she seems to have little in common with Mr. Smith's other heroine, Precious Ramotswe, but in fact they are very similar after all. Both are strong, independent women who are deeply concerned with issues of what's right and wrong, and with people and relationships.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith, by Cathy East Dubowski

Book image courtesy of Google.com

Read and reviewed in March, 2012. Released later

Husband and I read this book; he enjoyed it, and I thought it moved to fast to keep up with the plot. I was breathless, and I'd only been sitting and reading! He wants to see the movie, but I'm afraid I couldn't keep up with the action.

It was an interesting concept; two undercover spies, man and wife, gradually discover that they are trying to wipe out each other.