Week ending July 8, 2016

Brown, John Gregory. A Thousand Miles from Nowhere. Lee Boudreaux: Little, Brown. Jun. 2016. 288p. ISBN 9780316302807. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780316302821; lib. ebk. ISBN 9780316302821. F

Former high school English teacher Henry Garrett is not just fleeing Katrina-devastated New Orleans. He’s running from a life he abandoned months before in a string of poor decisions. His job, home, and wife are gone. The Garrett paternal line is rife with mental illness, and Henry himself is slipping away. Days after Katrina hits, Henry finds himself at the Ganesha Motel in a small northwestern Virginia town, unsure of whether he should try to reclaim his estranged wife, who is living somewhere nearby, or seek refuge at his sister’s home in Baltimore. Neither woman is likely to welcome him with open arms. A tragic accident with far-reaching implications grounds Henry at the motel as he’s forced to sort out his life’s purpose while confronting familial ghosts. Brown’s meditative novel is steeped in melancholy musical references from many genres. This self-described “lousy hero” ultimately makes a redemptive journey that opens him to the needs, hope, and generosity of others. Verdict Masterfully crafted with descriptive prose buoyed by likable, vividly drawn supporting characters, this novel is firmly rooted in the transportive storytelling traditions of the best Southern literature (and there’s reference to epic Indian love poetry, too). Worth the wait from Brown (Audubon’s Watch), an author long absent from the literary scene. [See Prepub Alert, 11/30/15.]—Paula Gallagher, Baltimore Cty. P.L.

Danielewski, Mark Z. The Familiar. Vol. 3: Honeysuckle & Pain. Tim Duggan: Crown. Jun. 2016. 224p. ISBN 9780375714986. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9780375714993. F

The third volume of Danielewski’s “The Familiar” smoothly continues the arc of the complex narrative begun in Volume 1 (One Rainy Day in May) and continued in Volume 2 (Into the Forest). Each of the loosely interconnected sections maintains a distinct typographical format, from circles to computer code to separate blocks of text. Volume 3 is a turning point, as the question arises, is this the conclusion? It most definitely is not. As the shape of the entire narrative becomes clearer, as all the parts start to link up, the potential ramifications of the whole seem immense. At the same time, the importance of the central character, Xanther, an adolescent girl, becomes clearer. Xanther struggles with new experiences of an otherworldly nature that go beyond her relationship to the small white cat, the familiar, that has changed her world. Her curious effect on locks and an encounter with a tiger lead to a cliffhanging conclusion. Verdict A powerful sense of suspense and imminent danger, as well as a looming ethereal power, suffuse this installment in the series. As the feeling of discovery builds there also arises a glimpse of where this might be heading. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 12/21/15.]—Henry Bankhead, San Rafael P.L., CA Davis, Charles.

Hitler, Mussolini, and Me. Permanent. May 2016. 232p. ISBN 9781579624323. $28; ebk. ISBN 9781579624842. F

An innocuous, hapless Irishman with a smattering of art history and some German and Italian bungles into serving as a translator at a meeting between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in 1938. Their bloodiest deeds still lie before them, and the pair are dismissed by the narrator as, respectively, the Flatulent Windbag and the Constipated Prick. The narrator is by turns awed and appalled by what he sees. A newspaper photo misidentifies him as a collaborator. When 30 years later a copy falls into the hands of his hippy daughter, she is horrified, and this book is the father’s attempt to answer the question, “What did you not do in the war, daddy?” Along the way, he wittily expounds on sex and moustaches (with special emphasis on Hitler’s “dab of philtrum felt”). At one point, he notes that “people of true conviction are rare. And they are not always the best people.” Verdict Davis’s fourth novel (after Displaced People), with its decidedly offbeat take on history and its genre-bending mix of fact and fiction, is more Woody Allen’s Zelig than Jack Higgins’s The Eagle Has Landed. His zippy, wry apologia ought to be snapped up by students of World War II and by adventuresome book groups with a high tolerance for flatulence jokes, eager to debate the morality of killing if not baby Hitler, at least his 49-year-old manifestation.—Bob Lunn, Kansas City, MO

Davis, Fiona. The Dollhouse. Dutton. Aug. 2016. 304p. ISBN 9781101984994. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781101985007. F

[DEBUT] This first novel revolves around Manhattan’s famous hotel for women, the Barbizon. In 1952, Darby McLaughlin arrives from Ohio to take up secretarial studies at the Katherine Gibbs School. Having disappointed her mother in failing to be “marriage material,” she must learn to support herself. Fast-forward to 2016 and enter journalist Rose Lewin, who has left her broadcast career and rent-controlled apartment to move into one of the renovated Barbizon condos with the rich and still-married Griff. This incarnation of the hotel is upscale, with the exception of a few units still occupied by the original tenants. The stories of Darby and Rose run parallel as both women decide what is important in life. Rose discovers a mystery involving a suspicious fall from the roof, a maid named Esme, and an older resident who never shows her disfigured face. Finding its resolution is the saving grace for Rose as she faces both personal and professional crises. Verdict Fans of Suzanne Rindell’s Three-Martini Lunch will enjoy this debut’s strong sense of time and place as the author brings a legendary New York building to life and populates it with realistic characters who find themselves in unusual situations.—Terry Lucas, Shelter Island P.L., NY

Davis, Lindsey. The Graveyard of the Hesperides: A Flavia Albia Novel. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Jul. 2016. 368p. ISBN 9781250078902. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466891449. MYS In her fourth outing (after Deadly Election), Flavia Albia, the adopted daughter of private informer Marcus Falco, investigates the murder of a woman found buried in the courtyard of a Roman bar that her fiancé Manlius Faustus is renovating. At the same time, she must prepare for her impending nuptials, keep her wedding-crazed sisters at bay, and help Faustus with his renovation project. As always, you can rely on Davis to write a compelling and entertaining mystery. Following Flavia as she navigates ancient Rome during the reign of Domitian is engaging because of both the accurate historical depictions and the challenges of being a female private informer in a male-dominated society. Verdict There is some sexual and violent content, but the depictions are not explicit. Any fan of historical fiction and murder mysteries will enjoy this book. [See Prepub Alert, 2/1/16.]—Matt Schirano, Univ. of Bridgeport, CT

Edwards, Yvvette. The Mother. Amistad: HarperCollins. May 2015. 256p. ISBN 9780062440778. $21.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062440808. F

Set in present-day London, this second novel by Edwards (A Cupboard Full of Coats) follows Marcia Williams in the months after the murder of her 16-year-old son Ryan. Edwards provides an intimate glimpse of grief within a tight-knit Afro-Caribbean community. Consumed by numbness, Marcia self-medicates to cope with anger and blame, often revisiting her son’s bedroom to reflect on what his life could have been and to wonder if, in fact, she’s still a mother. As her husband, Lloydie, retreats into himself, scarcely communicating, Marcia instead turns to her sister Lorna for comfort. Unfortunately, much of the narrative is bogged down by the minutiae of courtroom proceedings, in which the sisters observe the indifference of Ryan’s alleged killer, Tyson Manley, as lawyers from both sides present their arguments. While Marcia struggles to grasp the how and why of her son’s death, a surprise courtroom development from Sweetie Nelson, a figure central to both families, leads Marcia and Lloydie to reevaluate themselves as parents. Verdict Although Edwards offers a personal portrait of grief, predictable plot twists and a series of scattered endings sour an otherwise intriguing narrative. [See Prepub Alert, 11/2/15.]—Stephanie Sendaula, Library Journal

Eggers, Dave. Heroes of the Frontier. Knopf. Jul. 2016. 400p. ISBN 9780451493804. $28.95; ebk. ISBN 9780451493811. F

Josie is on the run from herself, having taken her two children, left Ohio, and flown to Alaska. They rent a broken-down RV and set off, evidently without a map and little sense of direction. Wildfires seem to be overrunning the area below Anchorage where they roam. Either lost or staying off main roads to avoid detection, they bump into some strange characters, among them gun-toting wanderers, bad magicians, magical musicians, and dangerous lunatics. Along the way, Josie reminisces about her unusual upbringing, her failed marriage, and her failed dental practice back in Ohio. The children are Paul, an intelligent, inquisitive eight-year old who is learning he might be more sensible than his mother, and his little sister, Ana, a whirlwind of unbridled energy and destructiveness. There is a brief visit to a relative, but quickly they are off into the wilderness, living on the edge in the spectacular and dangerous Alaskan hinterlands. Verdict Eggers’s (The Circle) road novel and journey of self-discovery is seamlessly written, fast-paced, entertaining, and, at times, disturbing to read.—Jim Coan, SUNY at Oneonta Lib.

Fagan, Jenni. The Sunlight Pilgrims. Hogarth: Crown. Jul. 2016. 320p. ISBN 9780553418873. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780553418880. F

It’s 2020. Paradoxically, the melting polar ice caps have cooled the air over the jet stream, plunging the earth into another Ice Age. In a trailer park in a remote Scottish town, Stella, a transgender 12-year-old, lives with her mother, Constance, an unconventional woman fiercely protective of her daughter. Though she suffers from the common fictional scourge of not-quite-believable overprecociousness, Stella is a winning and charismatic young heroine struggling to come to terms with her changing body and define her new identity in their conservative small town. As the first deadly winter sets in, Dylan, a thirtysomething loner, moves from London into a nearby trailer, which was mysteriously left to him by his recently deceased mother. As Dylan becomes enmeshed in the lives of his new neighbors, he gradually discovers the secrets that tie him to this place and to Stella’s family. Verdict At the intersection of dystopian fiction and magical realism, Fagan’s follow-up to The Panopticon contains striking and poetic language and imagery. Despite the forbidding setting, it remains a hopeful tale about human connections. [See Prepub Alert, 1/11/16.]—Lauren Gilbert, Sachem P.L., Holbrook, NY

Fernando, Chantal. Rake’s Redemption. Gallery. (Wind Dragons MC, Bk. 4). Jul. 2016. 320p. ISBN 9781501139550. pap. $15; ebk. ISBN 9781501139567. EROTIC ROMANCE While out at a local bar, single mother and schoolteacher Bailey runs into Lana and Anna, friends whom she hasn’t seen since high school, along with Anna’s brother, Adam, her old boyfriend and the former love of her life. Adam, who now goes by Rake, is a member of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club and not the Adam she remembers. This new gruff and oversexed Rake makes it clear that she is to stay far away from his friends and family, but Anna won’t let her brother get in the way of her friendship with Bailey. Rake finally relents, and the sexual tension between him and Bailey becomes more than either of them can ignore. They soon fall back into each other’s arms even though the thing from the past that kept them apart remains unspoken. Just when they work out their differences, the father of Bailey’s daughter appears and uses her child to extort money from the club. Rake will have to fight to save his family or lose it all—again. Verdict The romance and action play out agreeably, but readers will find it unrealistic that a single mother who works full time would be able to party and drink as much as Bailey does. Even if one can look past Bailey’s irresponsibleness, Fernando’s (Tracker’s End) fourth series offering is only a middling addition to MC romance.—Kara Kohn, Plainfield P.L., IL

Karlsson, Jonas. The Invoice. Hogarth: Crown. Jul. 2016. 208p. ISBN 9781101905142. $24; ebk. ISBN 9781101905159. F Swedish playwright/actor Karlsson’s unnamed narrator lives a rather agreeable humdrum slacker life: a film buff, he works part-time at a video store (where the same door seems always to need mending), visits the same pizza place and ice cream kiosk daily, and retreats to his simple flat. He has no girlfriend and only one real sort-of friend. When he receives an invoice for 5,700,000 kroner (more than $900,000), he assumes it’s a mistake, but it isn’t. It’s from World Resources Distribution (WRD), an Orwellian bureaucracy that bills individuals for their EH (Experienced Happiness). This cuts to the novel’s theme: What is happiness? The answer appears to be the absence of unhappiness, as well as simple appreciation of one’s environment. As the narrator appeals his invoice—and begins to develop a relationship with his contact at WRD, Maud—he finds the invoice growing exponentially. Even a past relationship breakdown earns him more EH points, because it was so dramatic, cinematic even, that few have experienced its like. He has no money, and WRD assesses his flat and determines he has nothing of value. But WRD can’t kill him; the book ends in stalemate. Verdict Kafka-lite, a short foray into philosophy neither heavy nor airy, this is a quickly congenial and not overly taxing read from the author of The Room. [See Prepub Alert, 1/25/16.]—Robert E. Brown, Oswego, NY

McCall Smith, Alexander. Chance Developments: Stories. Pantheon. Jul. 2016. 256p. ISBN 9781101871256. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781101871263. SHORT STORIES Well-known writer McCall Smith (e.g., “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” series) offers a variety of short stories inspired by black-and-white historic photographs the author discovered when he was putting together a photography book about Edinburgh. The stories present the imagined lives and circumstances of the people in each photograph with charming result. For instance, from the picture of a woman in a train station the author creates Sister Flora, a former nun, and describes her experience as she reenters the world. An image of three children and a pony inspires a tale of star-crossed lovers reunited. Verdict McCall Smith continues his prolificacy with a winning collection offering stories that are gentle, humorous, and emotion-packed. Readers of fiction in general and of McCall Smith in particular will enjoy this book. [See Prepub Alert, 2/1/16.]—Joanna Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence

O’Farrell, Maggie. This Must Be the Place. Knopf. Jul. 2016. 400p. ISBN 9780385349420. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780385349437. F Recently divorced and unhappy about his separation from his two children, American linguist Daniel Sullivan is ready for a new start. Driving around Donegal, Ireland, in search of his grandfather’s remains, he happens upon a young boy with a stutter. That Daniel is able to offer him some relief from his condition leads to a meeting with the boy’s mother, Claudette Wells, a reclusive Hollywood legend, who mysteriously disappeared from public view years earlier. A marriage and two more children later, Daniel’s life spirals out of control again after he catches part of a radio conversation with a long-ago girlfriend whose early death he may have caused. Seeking answers, he allows his life to fall apart for the second time. Verdict As the narrative moves effortlessly around in time and unfolds from multiple viewpoints (even the cameo roles are compelling), Daniel’s backstory comes patchily into focus. Fans of O’Farrell’s previous novels, such as The Hand That First Held Mine and Instructions for a Heatwave, can look forward to this fine new offering from a gifted storyteller. [See Prepub Alert, 1/25/16.]—Barbara Love, formerly with Kingston Frontenac P.L., Ont.

Pekkanen, Sarah. The Perfect Neighbors. Washington Square: S. & S. Jul. 2016. 352p. ISBN 9781501106491. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781501106507. F The latest from Pekkanen (The Opposite of Me; Skipping a Beat; These Girls) features four women living in rustic Newport Cove: Kellie, a stay-at-home mom recently returned to an office job; Susan, a single mom still reeling from her divorce the prior year; Gigi, whose husband is running for political office at the same time that her teenage daughter is hitting a rebellious stage; and Tessa, a reserved mother of two, new to the neighborhood and clearly hiding a big secret. Most readers, whether married, divorced, or single, parent or childless, will probably recognize themselves in at least one of the women. The big mystery of the book, revealed slowly to the readers, is Tessa’s secret. Once that happens, the book ends almost too quickly and too neatly. Verdict The best way to enjoy this work is not as a mystery but as a coffee klatch, learning all the gossip about the not-so-perfect neighbors. Each chapter begins with a few messages from the neighborhood Listserv—these are so perfectly written and howlingly funny.—Amy Watts, Univ. of Georgia Lib., Athens

Steiner, Susie. Missing, Presumed. Random. Jul. 2016. 346p. ISBN 9780812998320. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780812998337. F Manon Bradshaw, the complicated, complex, and wholly human British detective at the heart of Steiner’s (Homecoming) new mystery, raises this story from a classic police procedural to something far more engaging. After yet another failed Internet date, Manon tries to fall asleep to the lull of her police scanner when a missing person alert comes through. Edith Hind, a grad student with a seemingly charmed life, has disappeared. As her team investigates and secrets emerge about Edith and her influential family, Manon learns that nothing is as it seems. In dealing with the Hinds, she finds that her own personal struggle to define love and family, and determine her own conflicting desires for them, takes on a whole other significance. Verdict The interlocking stories from various perspectives flow nicely, and while the denouement may polarize some, Manon makes the journey worthwhile. A good choice for aficionados of Kate Atkinson and Kate Morton. [A June 2016 LibraryReads pick.]—Liza Oldham, Beverly, MA