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Ella Perri found it hard to go on after the tragic death of her partner Jack, but her family was there to provide support.
Ella is especially close to her maternal grandparents, Poppy and Nonna, who fled Mussolini's Italy over 70 years ago and settled in upstate New York. Ella is now ready to get on with her life, and is applying for hospital residencies to complete her medical training.
Ella's plans are put on temporary hold when a dying Poppy asks her to find a box hidden in his cottage. Poppy emphasizes that the box is very valuable to him, and warns Ella to 'watch who you trust.'
Upon Poppy's passing, Ella locates the box, which contains a very old diary, photos, and a gun. Ella also finds letters to a woman named Gianna, written in the late 1930s. Finally, Ella discovers a letter from Poppy to herself, along with money, requesting that she go to Italy to find out more about Gianna.
Ella tells her family about the hidden correspondence, and about her plan to go to Italy. Ella's mother Gabriella, Uncle Luca and Aunt Lena, and Nonna claim to know nothing about Gianna, and STRONGLY discourage Ella from making the trip.
But Ella insists on going, and makes arrangements to visit the places mentioned in the letters. Ella's best friend Jamie, who was very solicitous after Jack's death, decides to go along for moral support.
As soon as Ella and Jamie arrive at their first destination in southern Italy, a beautiful resort in Calabria, they're approached by an attractive Italian couple named Marco and Sophia.
The duo appear eager to ingratiate themselves with the Americans, and seem to show up wherever the girls go. Ella and Jamie have been warned about criminals, and are wary of the intrusive couple.
The Americans follow their planned itinerary, visiting sites described in the missives; seeking out people Poppy knew; looking for newspaper stories about pre-war Italy; etc. Along the way, the girls visit a monastery in Tropea;
go on a culinary walking tour of Ravagnese;
drive along the Costa Degli Dei;
peruse the Corso Garibaldi shopping district;
visit the romantic fishing village of Scilla;
explore a beautiful vineyard;
dine on sea snails and swordfish in a restaurant on the Amalfi coast; and more.
Ella and Jamie also meet a tall dark handsome man named Nico, who offers to assist with their search. Ella is attracted to the charming Italian, but memories of Jack make her hesitate to get involved.
Eventually, Ella and Jamie learn that Gianna is at the center of a mystery that's haunted Poppy all his life. This revelation leads to additional discoveries, and Ella realizes her family has been hiding secrets for decades...secrets that someone might kill to protect.
This is a compelling atmospheric thriller in an attractive exotic setting.
Thanks to Netgalley and Krissy Baccaro for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
The Mrs. Murphy cozy mystery series began over three decades ago, with the charming premise that animals could speak amongst themselves and help their owner solve crimes. In recent years author Rita Mae Brown has used the Mrs. Murphy novels to promote her politics and to discuss American history, and I've enjoyed the books less and less. For that reason, I decided to reach back and read an early book in the series, just for fun.
In this 10th Mrs. Murphy book, amateur sleuth Mary Minor Haristeen (Harry) and her pets help investigate several murders.
*****
Thirtysomething Harry Haristeen is a postmistress and farm owner in the town of Crozet, Virginia, which contains many descendants of the 'First Families of Virginia.'
The upscale town holds regular social events, such as the Dogwood Festival and the annual Wreckers' Ball, and is home to sporting events like coon hunting and fox hunting.
Harry shares her home with three furbabies: Mrs. Murphy - a tiger cat; Pewter - a chubby gray tabby; and Tucker - a Welsh corgi.
The pets chat amongst themselves and with other creatures like horses, cows, owls, rats, mice, etc., but their conversations are incomprehensible to humans.
Harry has been divorced from horse veterinarian Fair Haristeen for five years, and Fair is trying hard to win his ex-wife back.
However, during the couple's separation Fair had a six-month affair with the town beauty, Boom Boom Craycroft, and Harry hasn't forgiven either one of them.
So it's a surprise when Boom Boom approaches Harry with a request. Boom Boom is dating a Uruguayan diplomat who's bringing a colleague named Diego Aybar to a Dogwood Festival Party.
Boom Boom asks Harry to escort Diego, and the postmistress agrees - much to Fair's chagrin. In any event, Harry is charmed by the handsome South American, and the two attend the Dogwood Festival Party together. The event is going well - with plenty of eating, drinking, dancing, and gossiping - until a local scrap yard owner called Roger O'Bannon slumps over dead, apparently from natural causes.
Roger's death is soon followed by two murders: a young man suspected of being a thief is found hanging from a tree; and a taxidermist is found shot in his car. The authorities (and Harry) suspect the deaths are related, and try to figure out a connection between the men, thinking it's probably drugs.
Meanwhile, Harry's pets suspect that Roger O'Bannon' death wasn't natural, and that he was murdered as well. The animals mount their own investigation, find important clues, and try to point the humans in the right direction. There are more crimes before the murders are finally solved, and the solution is a surprise to everyone.
Much of the series' appeal is attributable to the popular recurring characters, including: Sheriff Rick Shaw - the chief law enforcement officer in Crozet; Deputy Sheriff Cynthia Cooper - who helps investigate crimes; nonagenarian Aunt Tally Urquhart - who gets a kick out of instigating trouble; Susan Tucker - Harry's best friend and investigative partner; Big Mim Sanburne - the 'Queen of Crozet'; Miranda Hogendobber - a widow who helps at the post office, bakes delicious sweet buns, and quotes the bible; and more.
Like other early books in the series, this cozy mystery is entertaining and fun. If you enjoy stories with talking animals, you might want to give these tales a try.
Rating: 3 stars
Chicagoan John Sibley is the author of ten books and an accomplished artist whose paintings are collected by Mayor Richard Daley, football star Walter Payton, and heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson among others.
John Sibley and Mayor Richard Daley
In a 2019 interview in N'DIGO magazine, Sibley was asked what inspires him, and he replied: "Life. Just jogging in Washington Park inspires me." Sibley had ample opportunity to be inspired throughout the 2020-2021 coronavirus pandemic, during which he exercised by power walking around Washington Park, an area that encompasses 372 acres between Cottage Grove and Martin Luther King Drive.
Washington Park
While walking, Sibley observed the area's flora - such as oak trees, maple trees, and spring wildflowers, and fauna - like crows, red-tailed hawks, gray squirrels, garter snakes, and more. The sunlight and nature inspired Sibley to ruminate about life, death, history, philosophy, black lives, and more.
Sibley is especially troubled by the mistreatment of minority people - which is a historical and ongoing problem in America. Sibley recalls that Washington Park was once the home of roving Indian tribes like the Shawnee, Miami, Ojibwa, and Winnebago, who "had to deal with the hubris onslaught of white pioneers and settlers who altered their ancient indigenous culture." Sibley goes on, "The Indians were not barbarians or invaders—the American and European colonizers were."
Illinois Indians
Unrestrained violence continues to plague America. Observing a flock of Canadian geese.....
.....Sibley notes "how ironic it is that Chicago has ordinances prohibiting the discharge of firearms at geese, yet it has one of the highest black-on-black homicide rates in the nation."
Many cultures believe human welfare should supersede animal rights. For example, African philosopher Dr. Reginald M.J. Oduor, who lectures at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, says "man is seen as the core of existence in African philosophy" and "animal rights do not exist in most African philosophies." Oduor goes on to say, "Every time I look at TV commercials about how you should spend your money to help abused animals like dogs and cats, I feel nauseated. I think the obligation to help homeless people should take precedence over animals."
Dr. Reginald M.J. Odour
Sibley has an interesting theory about why people of European descent love dogs, and posits that "white love for Canis lupus familiaris [is] based on transgenerational epigenetics" - meaning outside factors change the way genes are expressed. Sibley speculates that the domestication of Paleolithic dogs 25,000 years ago in Germany "led to epigenetically acquired phenotypical traits (kinship and love for dogs), which is a fixed trait in their genome."
A Paleolithic man with his dog
Other examples of epigenetic characteristics might be "how, subconsciously, the trauma from slavery, the Civil War, and the Holocaust still exist in shared family genes." Epigenetics may even cause violence in black communities. Sibley's suggestion is that "the rampant homicidal violence in Chicago’s youth lies in epigenetics, PTSS (Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome), and transgenerational DNA. We not only pass onto our children hair and skin color, height, and intelligence, but other traits: a propensity for self-hatred and genocidal violence."
Epigenetics may contribute to violence in black communities
Inner city violence often seems like an intractable problem in the United States. To curb the stabbings, beatings, and shootings, Sibley thinks the Biden administration should focus on racial equity, especially systemic racism and criminal justice. Sibley also believes law enforcement should use cyber warfare techniques like robotic cockroaches, flies, and bees, as well as nano-optic smart dust.
Robo-Fly
Smart Dust
Devices like this could be employed to videotape homicides in alleys, drive-bys, and schools. Sibley muses, "Imagine how a criminal would react before pulling the trigger if he were not sure the fly or bumblebee buzzing around him was videotaping his every move, or he could not distinguish which bird on the telephone pole wire was ‘real’ or [a drone]?"
With regard to the Covid-19 vaccines, Sibley notes that they have been met with skepticism in the black community because of historical racist health policies. For example, the 20th century Tuskegee experiments purposely left black men with syphilis untreated so doctors could follow the progress of the disease.
Sibley writes, "I understand black folks’ paranoia and reluctance because if science can now target genes that expressed the color of a mouse, you could target genes that express other traits, such as ethnicity. What if a new vaccine causes a hemorrhagic fever when it encounters cells containing African American genes? What if a virus gives whites only a headache but other groups die from it?" The presence of extremists in government exacerbate concerns like this, because racists might decide a FSV (Final Solution Virus) is needed. This might sound outlandish, but genetic manipulation of humans is a reality, and genetically engineered babies have already been born in China.
Genetically engineered babies
Turning to bigger issues, Sibley ponders, "It is humbling to think that existence on this planet can be extinguished like a blown-out flame. Are we prepared for mass extinction because of climate change? It is terrifying to think how our planet is warming ten times faster than it has in 65 million years. Oceans are acidifying and becoming oxygen dead-zones."
Sibley is optimistic, however, and writes, "I see light at the end of the apocalyptic tunnel if we get serious about the rate of release of greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide). If not, mass extinction is inevitable, and [Washington Park] will have no crows, squirrels, red-tailed hawks, or geese for future generations."
Sibley also has thoughts about disease-incubating geese, how it feels to be a squirrel, the cultural significance of snakes, the morality of eating animals, what to do about statues of racists, University of Chicago diversity programs, historic redlining of black homeowners, and more. Sibley's reflections and suggestions provide things to consider for black communities as well as the wider population.
This is a thoughtful book that's well worth reading.
John Sibley with two of his paintings
Thanks to John Sibley for a review copy of the book.
Rating: 4 stars
This book tells the story of two friendships: one between Martha Teichner and Carol Fertig;
Martha Teichner
Carol Fertig
and the other between their Bull Terriers, Harry and Minnie.
Harry (right) and Minnie
Martha Teichner is a long-time correspondent for "CBS Sunday Morning", where she covers national and international news as well as cultural and arts topics.
Martha Teichner is a television news correspondent
Carol Fertig was a fashion designer, stylist, and style editor who designed collections of objects and artworks for luxury clients.
Carol Fertig was a creative artist
*****
Manhattan resident Martha Teichner starts her Saturday mornings with a stroll to the Farmer's Market at Union Square, accompanied by her Bull Terriers Goose and Minnie. Tourists take pictures of the dogs, venders smile and wave, and the man in charge of the fruit stand laughs when larcenous Goose steals a juicy apple from a crate on the ground.
Martha Teichner with Goose and Minnie
Then Goose dies in early 2016, and Minnie is bereft, constantly searching for her doggie friend of nine years. Martha, who also misses Goose, thinks of acquiring another mature Bull Terrier but can't find one of the appropriate age.
Now fate steps in. Martha is strolling around the Farmer's Market in July 2016 when she happens to meet an acquaintance, architect Stephen Miller Siegel, who's walking his Golden Retriever Teddy. Stephen mentions that his friend Carol Fertig is dying from cancer, and looking for a home for her 11-year-old Bull Terrier Harry.
Carol Fertig and Harry
Martha agrees to consider the adoption, and starts emailing with Carol, to learn about Harry. In the spirit of full disclosure, Carol tells Martha that Harry takes meds (puppy Zoloft and Phenobarbital for OCD and anxiety; Rymadyl for arthritis; and Tynell for colitis) and eats special food for his sensitive stomach. In other words, Harry is a 'money pit.'
On the up side, Harry is lovable, smart (he made up a game with a metal bowl and tennis balls), outgoing, and stubborn - a trait that's endearing to fans of Bull Terriers.
Harry throws and catches tennis balls with his bowl
Martha and Carol agree to set up encounters between Harry and Minnie, to see if the pups get along. The veterinarian suggests short meetings, then longer visits, then sleepovers, and - over the next few months - the dogs and their owners have a number of 'dates.'
Harry (back) and Minnie
This leads to the pooches eventually being left alone together, monitored by a videocamera that takes FOREVER for the technology-challenged ladies (and their friend Stephen) to get working. 😀
In between visits Martha and Carol constantly exchange emails laced with emojis, photos, and videos - so as Harry and Minnie become friends, Martha and Carol do as well. Along the way Martha comes to appreciate Carol's fashion sense, creativity, and artistic talent.
Carol Fertig had her own unique fashion sense
As the visits proceed, Martha and Minnie come to love Harry, and it's fun to see Minnie go from being indifferent to Harry, to roughhousing with Harry, to embracing Harry as a compadre....all of this assisted by plenty of chicken and hamburger treats.
Martha Teichner with Harry (left) and Minnie
The tale then switches to Carol's declining health and imminent death. Carol's 'family' consists largely of her friends in New York, who band together to help Carol in her final months. They care for Carol, bring her food, get her admitted to the appropriate facilities, keep her company, and help her seek compensation from the 9/11 commission, because the Twin Towers dust and debris caused her cancer.
Manhattan is as much a character in the story as the people and dogs, and we see the city through Martha's eyes as she shops, takes buses, walks along the river, looks for addresses, goes to Chelsea Piers, races through the rain, visits the Farmer's market, goes to the Barking Zoo pet store, takes the dogs to St. Peter's Chelsea Church for the “Blessing of the Animals,” has an encounter with 17 police officers, and more.
Martha Teichner walking along the river
Teichner is an experienced writer with a good eye for detail, and her story inspires both laughter and tears. This is a very good book, highly recommended.
Thanks to Celadon Books for a review copy.
Rating: 4.5 stars
