Housebreaking

Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard
4/19/22; 368 pages
Penguin Random House

Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard is a very highly recommended coming-of-age domestic drama but also a novel about healing brokenness.

Del Murrow is currently living with a friend of her father's, Tym. What led her there was a scandal, divorce and the death of both of her parents. When her father died Tym offered a room for her at his place. Now at age 24 she is directionless and recently unemployed. Then after no contact for years, her uncle unexpectedly sends her cousin Greg as an emissary to talk to Del about selling the abandoned family home and land from her mother's estate. Then Tym suggests she should get her own place. These changed circumstances lead her to travel back to the small town where her childhood home is located to consider the offer. Once there she devises another plan, and counters her uncle's offer with a totally unexpected condition. Her plan will require her to move her family home across a pond onto a swampy track of land.

It is the tale of a relative (Del) who is looked down at by her other relatives (her uncle) who wants to take advantage of her youth and inexperience to benefit himself. Del is certainly broken emotionally and demoralized. She feels she has no one to rely upon but herself, although Tym remains a friend and supports her emotionally. Her plan has her taking on the clearly Sisyphean task of dismantling a house and moving it across a pond. The end result of this enormous task is that her uncle will not own the house and the new houses in the development her uncle builds on the land will have a view of the junk pile of her deconstructed house.

As Del works on her monumental backbreaking task, she has her mother's friend Eleanor checking up on her and she makes friends with a supermarket clerk, but mostly Del works alone, desperate to extract her revenge on her uncle while simultaneously examining her parents lives along with her own while taking the house apart. She needs the cash but she also needs to deal with the powerlessness and hurt she feels over the treatment of her family as well as the abandonment their deaths represent by leaving her mark in the area for her mother's sake.

This strange fairy-tale of a book captured my imagination and held my attention throughout. I don't know if I can adequately express why I loved it so much, but I did. Del experiences growth as a character as she undertakes the seemingly impossible task by sheer determination. The undertaking of the project, which appears to be foolish, actually provides a calling for Del. She puts all of her fortitude and effort into the project and refuses to give up. In the end she learns something about herself.

There is one drawback which was a niggling little fact always at the back of my mind. In the real world you have to pay property taxes. I had to set aside the fact that realistically her uncle could have likely bought the property for back taxes due. Just as with any fable, reality isn't always part of the story. I embraced the folkloric part of the plot and set reality aside to enjoy the heroine overcoming the obstacles placed before her in order to finish the task she must complete.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House via NetGalley.

The Patron Saint of Second Chances

The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon
4/12/22; 304 pages
Atria Books

The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon is a very highly recommended heartwarming and humorous story about the lengths one man will go to save his town.

Signor Giovannino Speranza, the owner of a vacuum cleaner repair shop and hotelier, is the self-appointed mayor of Prometto, Italy (population 212) and he has a huge problem. The town has failed the pipe inspection by the water commission and has two months to come up with 70,000 euros to repair the pipes or water will be shut off to the town and everyone will have to move out. People aren't even paying their property taxes, so how can raise this impossible sum? In hopes of increasing tourism, Speranza decides to spread a harmless rumor the movie star Dante Rinaldi will be filming his next project nearby. How could he know that the entire town would embrace the idea and want to have a part in the film? 

Maestro, the local butcher, donates a large sum of money toward the project if some of his fifteen sons can have a part, people all over town want a part in it, and suddenly Speranza and his assistant Smilzo have to actually plan to make a movie. Smilzo writes a screen play, they hold auditions, cast parts, and begin filming. As one mishap and set-back after another occurs, people begin to question when Dante Rinaldi is going to show up.

I absolutely apologetically love and adore this farcical, entertaining, charming, engaging, and laugh-out-loud funny debut novel. Sure it is silly and over-the-top at times as so many absurd and outlandish things occur. It reminded me of an older comedic, campy movie made just for the laughs - and I did laugh, snort, and smile my way through The Patron Saint of Second Chances. It is a witty novel full of quirky characters set in a charming small town where everyone knows everyone else and all their problems and issues.

As one mishap after another occurs and Speranza needs to try to raise more money to save his town, I was rooting for him the whole time. Sure, it might have been easier to just tell his fellow citizens what was going on, but his determination to save them from the worry and upcoming displacement is commendable. Admittedly, there isn't a lot of character development and many deep, thoughtful moments, but it does showcase a deep love for a community and perseverance in the face of hardship while being wildly entertaining. 

This is a great choice for those times when you simply need an entertaining, feel-good novel to read for escapism and relaxation.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

The Sign for Home

The Sign for Home by Blair Fell
4/5/22; 416 pages
Atria/Emily Bestler Books

The Sign for Home by Blair Fell is a recommended coming-of-age story.

Arlo Dilly is a DeafBlind 23 year-old man and a Jehovah’s Witness who is under the guardianship of his uncle, Brother Birch. He is taking a college class and looking for an interpreter to assist Molly, his long time interpreter. This is where he meets Cyril Brewster he takes the job. He also alerts Arlo to the many ways that Molly has been making decisions without consulting him. It s also clear that Brother Birch has been controlling his life and keeping him away from Shri, the girl he fell in love with at a boarding school for the deaf.

This is a descriptive, touching, educational, sometimes humorous, and uplifting story. Chapters alternate between the point-of-view of Cyril and Arlo, with Cryril told in the first person and Arlo in the second person singular. The pace is slow in the beginning of this coming-of-age novel, but it does pick up. On the positive side it does educate readers about the different types of sign language, communication devices, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the many resources available to the DeafBlind community. The descriptive passages are very well done. You will be cheering Arlo on as he makes his way to self-determination, independence, self-fulfillment, and happiness. It needs to be mentioned that Jehovah's Witnesses are an intricate part of the story and they negatively portrayed, which may be objectionable to some readers. People are free to practice their religious beliefs so this unfavorable portrayal made me uncomfortable and will admit that this was almost a did-not-finish. Based on the many positive reviews, I set my misgivings aside, finished it, and the last third of the novel was worth it.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

Her Silent Prayer

Her Silent Prayer by M.M. Chouinard
4/7/22; 392 pages
Bookouture
Detective Jo Fournier #5

Her Silent Prayer by M.M. Chouinard is a very highly recommended procedural/thriller.

Detective Jo Fournier and her partner Bob Arnett are called to the case of a single mother, Melissa Rollins, found dead trapped inside a closet with the doors nailed shut. The heat in the house was turned up to 95 degrees during a heat wave in Greenfern, CA, and Melissa died of thirst. With no sign of a break in, it appeared that Melissa knew her killer and let her in. Melissa was in a custody battle with her ex who had accused Melissa of child abuse. Then Jo uncovers a recent case where another single mother was killed and the two cases have unsettling similarities.

At the same time Jo is privately working a cold case from the past where a serial killer appeared to have committed suicide by jumping off the Golden gate bridge, but may have actually been killed. Jo needs to keep her interest in this case quiet as Lieutenant Hayes has it in for her, but so far thirteen out-of-state tourists have been killed with similarities that make it clear it could not be a coincidence.

Soon these two separate investigations are heading on a collision course and a killer is savvy to Jo's interest and is now following her.

This is my first novel by Chouinard and won't be the last. I haven't read the previous novels featuring Jo Fournier, but I felt this one worked as a stand alone novel too, although if you like a writer it's always a good idea to check out the whole series, which I will do. The writing is excellent as is the character development, especially considering this is part of a series. I liked the details provided about following the clues and uncovering more information to solve the intricate cases. Providing superior information regarding the police work in a procedural is always appreciated.

This novel veers into psychological thriller territory as the investigation evolves. You will find yourself saying, "Just one more chapter." Luckily the chapters are short and the pace quick. Her Silent Prayer is a good choice for anyone who likes procedurals and especially procedurals that are fast paced, well-written, complicated, and become personal.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Bookouture via NetGalley.

Unlikely Animals

Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
4/12/22; 368 pages
Random House

Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett is a highly recommended family drama and ghost story.

In the small-town Everton, New Hampshire, the ghosts from Maple Street Cemetery recall the birth of Emma Starling. Emma was said to be a natural born healer. Now at 22 years-old she has foregone medical school in California and is returning home, her healing touch gone. Her mother, Ingrid, talked her into returning, although she really had nothing else to do, because her father, Clive, is dying from a mysterious brain disease. Clive is hallucinating small animals as well as the ghost of naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes. Her younger brother, Auggie, is recovering from an opioid addiction and Emma's best friend from high school, Crystal Nash is missing. Emma ends up becoming a long-term substitute teacher for fifth graders at the elementary school.

The Greek chorus of the ghosts from Maple Street Cemetery chime in throughout the novel with their thoughts, observations and opinions concerning what is going on with the living members of the community. This quirky, absurd family drama displays magic realism while being funny, but also tragic and quite serious concerning the opioid crisis befalling small towns everywhere. The themes of family expectations, forgiveness, and acceptance merge with the importance of friendships. And all of this is heralded in some way by the ghosts.

The plot does move along quickly, but the wildly divergent and numerous story lines could be a bit of a distraction. Naturalist Ernest Harold Baynes was a real person and his ghost shares parts of his life story in the novel. Hartnett has an author's note at the end explaining this and the incorporation of the information into her novel. The writing style was not especially to my taste, but there were several scenes that were exceptionally well crafted. Describing the novel as a fairy tale is apropos as it has elements of one. I noted and appreciated the growth in the characters by the conclusion. I'm a huge fan of all the animals populating the novel but not so much the ghosts. 

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House via NetGalley.

Bomb Shelter

Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives by Mary Laura Philpott
4/12/22; 288 pages
Atria Books

Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives by Mary Laura Philpott is a highly recommended collection of personal essays.

Philpott openly discusses her life, anxieties, joys, worries, and pleasures in this collection that covers a wide range of topics from mundane everyday actions as well as the uncertainty which accompanied her son's first seizure and diagnosis. All the topics are presented and discussed in an approachable manner. She is dealing with her mortality while also recognizing the joy and small pleasures found in life. There is the recognition that she will need to let her children go soon, off to college and on to their own lives, but she worries about their safety. Philpott explains that she believes if she cares enough, she could keep her loved ones safe.

As she searches for the meaning in what makes up a life, both the mundane and the significant events, she approaches the discussion with equal parts anxiety and optimism. The essays can take on a circuitous feeling as topics appear, reappear, a jump forward and backward in time. She does ramble on at times, but the essays will also clearly leave a feeling of camaraderie with most readers. She is expressing in her own unique way many of the things others think and ponder. This is a thoughtful collection that should appeal to many readers.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

Kill Her Twice

Kill Her Twice by Jack Fredrickson
4/5/22; 224 pages
Severn House
Dek Elstrom #8

Kill Her Twice by Jack Fredrickson is a highly recommended hard-boiled detective story set by Chicago.

Private investigator Dek Elstrom is hunting for a lost cat with a $100 reward when Martin Tripp wants to hire him to prove he didn't kill Sara Jansen. Tripp has already stood trial and been acquitted for Sara's murder. The problem is that he says he can't find a job now due to his infamy and he thinks Sara was afraid of something before she died. Elstrom isn't exactly eager to take on this case and he thinks Tripp is guilty of her murder, but he can use the $200 Tripp pushes on him. Once he begins to causally investigate, he discovers that a whole lot more was going on in the corrupt River City.

On the one hand I do appreciate an involved and complicated hard-boiled detective case that resembles a tale of gangsters from the 1930s. The description that Kill Her Twice is a Windy City noir with a distinctly retro feel is apropos. A story that actually tries to be timeless is appreciated and to be applauded. On the other hand, elderly women being lewd in a corrupt town is just not my thing. If I set that aside, during the investigation the suspense does build incrementally and the atmosphere becomes tense and full of suspicion in Kill Her Twice.

This can be read as a stand-alone novel even though it is the eighth book featuring Dek Elstrom. As my first Elstrom book I didn't feel behind or out of pace with the character and plot. Suspicions grow with each page and each new character introduced. There is also a humorous element to the novel, which helps in creating the noir-feeling as it propels the action forward. There are plenty of characters to draw your suspicion and entertain you, a tense atmosphere that grows as each new development, and complications to keep you guessing.

The narrative is told through Elstrom's first person point-of-view which means you are privy to his private thoughts and perceptions. He is an intelligent character, personable while also jaded with the corruption around him. He knows how the system works and how to use it to his advantage. 3.5 rounded up

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Severn House via NetGalley.