The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley

Flavia de Luce is an 11-year-old girl growing up in the country village of Bishop's Lacey in 1950's England. He mother is deceased, her father is distant, and her two older sisters torture her - the book begins with her tied up and locked in a closet.

One morning she finds a dying man (who turns out to be an old acquaintance of her father's) in the cucumber patch and when her father is arrested her snooping begins in earnest. She uses her skills as an aspiring chemist, her resourcefulness, and her Sherlock Holmes-like talent for deducing to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Flavia is our narrator in this book, and although it's in a child's voice, it is definitely not a child's book. Its a gentle mystery because of the age of the narrator and while it's intense at times, there is no real violence. The child's point of view doesn't always ring true and sometimes it seems like an older voice. And even though she's playing chemist and detective, she's a child first - as evidenced by the poison ivy in the lipstick prank she pulls on her sister. She's overburdened with spunk and you can't help but root for her and her adventures on Gladys (her bicycle.)

The family dynamic in this book is odd and completely dysfunctional, but it seems to work for them. Flavia's mother was a bit of an adventurer and was killed in a mountain climbing accident. Her father, partly from his grief, is a reclusive, eccentric who spends most of his time with his stamp collection. Her sisters Ophelia 'Feely' and Daphne 'Daffy' spend their time primping, reading, and playing piano. The girls are left to themselves a lot - which gives Flavia the freedom to investigate. The sibling rivalry is hilarious.

Skinny Dip - Carl Hiaasen

This book has the most amazing beginning. Joey Perrone is tossed of a cruise ship by her husband on their anniversary cruise. On the way down she's thinking of what a jerk he is. She is kept alive by her experience on her college swim team, a wayward bale of Jamacan pot and finally by Mick Stranahan who pulls her from the water.

Joey is wealthy - she and her brother were left a large inheritance when her parents died in a plane crash that was caused by a performing bear. Honest, I couldn't make this up.

She's at a loss as to why her husband would want to kill her - there was a prenup and an ironclad will. Anger takes over and she doesn't call the cops but decides to get even -- first by haunting him a bit, driving him a little crazy, and eventually blackmail. Which, I have to say is a plotline that truly tickles the funny bone.

Mick is an ex cop, has 6 ex-wives, one doberman and lives on an isolated island. He helps Joey get back at her husband.

Her husband Chaz is a marine biologist who hates the outdoors. He is lazy, greedy, self-centered,corrupt and arrogant. He's is a hedonist with no apparent ethics and no redeeming qualities. Because of his reactions to the 'haunting', he is assigned a body guard by a shady agri-businessman businessman named Red Hammernut who has paid Chaz to falsify environmental records. His body guard is a bear-like man who is made more ornery by a bullet lodged in his butt crack.

Detective Karl Rolvagg knows Chaz isn't telling the truth, but without evidence he is at a loss. Oh, and he has pet pythons.

It's obvious that Hiaasen loves the ocean, Florida, and the everglades. He takes every opportunity to stump for their preservation - but it doesn't detract from the story.

While it's definitely not a whodunit - you know that information on page one - the only real mystery is why. It's also a wonderful story about a cast of several charming and likeable characters and a few complete idiots - all running amok.

A Morbid Taste for Bones - Ellis Peters

This is the "1st Chronicle of Brother Cadfael" or the first of a series that appears to be 20 or so strong.

In the 12th century, a monk in a Benedictine Abbey in Shrewsbury England had a dream that Saint Winefred wanted them to bring her sacred remains to their abbey. At this particular time in history, it seems having famous relics at your church brought you glory and a better standing to compete for donations. So the monks - Brother Cadfael among them - set off to a remote Welsh mountain village called Gwytherin.

The monks and their proposal were not warmly welcomed and when Lord Rhyart - who led the opposition - is found murdered, the monks are viewed even less hospitably.

Brother Cadfael was once a crusader and his experiences have left him with a deep sense of morality and wisdom and a calm, compassionate, and pragmatic manner. And the ability to solve crimes. While he is an obedient monk, he gets most things done by side-stepping all the power struggles and staying just out of the radar. By not bringing attention to himself, he is not recognized as being as intelligent as he truly is.

The other characters are sufficiently developed that you feel you know them - some you like and some you don't. It's an excellent mystery in that you change your mind several times about "who done it" prior to finishing the book. It does however, have a good bit of descriptive text, which slows the book down a bit. If you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like the book.

All in all, it's unique setting and characters make it a great read and I will definitely move on to the other books at some point.

The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol follows the same formula as Dan Brown's other books (though my least favorite) - it's not great literature, but if you want a fast-paced suspense that's hard to put down, you may enjoy this one also. You really need to get lost in the story because otherwise you would notice that, while thrilling, it's a little far-fetched.

Harvard Professor Robert Langdon is pulled into the world of a really, really nasty villain (almost cartoonishly evil) and must travel throughout Washington DC and to find Peter Solomon - an old friend and mentor. DC, with its historic buildings and rich symbolism, is a great backdrop.

Brown is an amazing researcher and this book reflects that. And he writes with such authority that you can suspend any doubt, believe he knows what he's talking about, and enjoy the ride. But, with that said, in fitting all the details into the story the flow of action is interrupted.

Langdon's heroine in this book is Katherine Soloman -- sister of the missing Peter Soloman and Noetic researcher. As sidekicks go, she could trade places with any of the others and I wouldn't know the difference. As far as the Science of Noetics - it was interesting to learn about, but in looking back, I don't know why it was in the book -- except that its adds another location for action and more lectures of facts, it was superfluous.

My biggest issue with the book, however is the ending. I sort of saw where the story was going before the end of the book and was a little disappointed. While somewhat inspiring, it felt like just a device for the author to preach his societal message.

So if you like thrillers - especially those with ancient rituals, severed hands, and secrets, you may enjoy this book.

Everywhere That Mary Went - Lisa Scottoline

Mary DiNunzio is a lawyer in a Philadelphia law firm, the daughter of Italian immigrants, sister to a nun, and owner of a cat who doesn't like her.

A recent accident took her husband's life and she's thrown herself into work since that time - hoping to make partner. Her competition for the position is an old law school boyfriend, Ned Waters, who is interested in rekindling their relationship.

She's so busy that when she begins getting crank phone calls, she really doesn't worry. But when she feels as though she's being followed and her apartment is broken into, she begins to suspect everyone -- including Ned. The stalker, after all, seems to know a lot about Mary. Her friends/colleague Judy and her assistant Brent try to protect her - and put themselves in danger doing so.

The writing is wonderful - intelligent, funny (so important in a good mystery), and truly suspenseful. The characters have an authentic feel and are enjoyable - my favorites are her parents and her assistant. I wasn't crazy about the ending, however, and felt it was a bit odd. I definitely didn't see the ending coming - but in more of a "Huh?" way.

Everywhere That Mary Went is the first of a series - and while I didn't find it flawless, I will definitely keep reading.

The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde

This is a wonderfuly quirky book. Once you suspend everything you know about the space-time continuum and just let yourself go in this other-dimensional story, its a fun ride. If you can accept this alternate history of the world, you will find yourself enmeshed in a Doughlas Adams-like comedy, mystery, fantasy, satirical, sci fic adventure of wonderful imaginations.

The story begins in 1985, after the Crimean War has drug on for 130 years, time travel is possible, and literature is cherished above all else with authors being superstars. The 3rd-most-wanted criminal, Acheron Hades, is stealing characters from original manuscripts of books (thus changing every future edition) and holding them for ransom. Enter the Special Oprations Network -- who handle anything outside the realm of "regular" police operations -- Literary Division and Literatec Thursday Next (yes, that's her name.)

Thursday Next is smart, likable, and literate. Acheron Hades seems to be unkillable. Other characters are over-the-top, such as her flakey inventor uncle, and are often named to make you giggle, e.g. Jack Schitt and Braxton Hicks.

Thursday, in a brief period of time-travel, even gave a message to herself -- so now I can't wait to read the next in the series.

A Great Deliverance - Elizabeth George

This is the first in the Inspector Lynley series and a very good beginning.

The book begins with a death in the village of Kendalein the country. Scotland Yard sends nobleman Det. Thomas Lynley and a very disgruntled Sgt. Barbara Havers who has been trying to make Detective, but her brusque manner only suceeds in rubbing people the wrong way. But in addition to being a murder mystery, it's also a study into Lynley and Haver's personal lives and what got them to where they are today. Most supporting characters aren't as detailed and some are mere stereotypes. The American tourist couple were completely painful to read. Barbara is heavy, badley dressed, "borderline homely", bitter, and a bit of a loose cannon. Lynley is the 8th Earl of Asherton and doesn't need to work. They aren't the most likable characters and it's hard to card about them (which I hope inproves in subsequent books.) They are a completely opposite and unsuited couple but yet we find them to completely well-suited working team.

Although the dead man's 19-year-old daughter Roberta confessed, Lynley isn't convinced and an investigation in the murder, and all the town's secrets, begins. No one in the village actually believes she kills her father - but everyone seems to see a different Roberta. Lynley digs up the town's many secrets, scandals, and the finally the back story to the murder - which may be difficult for the other characters to see, but is completely transparent to the reader.

It's not a difficult read, the slightly plodding plot was not surprising, but had many twists to keep you wondering. It's dark and at times difficult to read. In the end the mystery turned itself around and surprised me.

What completely annoyed me was the addition of several words that I was unfamiliar with - and could not even decipher when reading it in context. Keep a dictionary close or you'll never make it through.

Fatally Flaky - Diane Mott Davidson

I truly enjoy this culinary mystery series! Goldy Schulz is a funny and quirky character who solves every problem with a shot of espresso or "whipping up" something in the kitchen - my kind of gal. In each book Goldy is catering an event in which someone is murdered - happens every time she steps out of the kitchen. She, against her cop husband's wishes, plays amateur sleuth and usually ends up in "hot water" herself. This series is light reading for a mystery, but has a humerous aspect and is thoroughly enjoyable.

With that said, this book seemed to not be up to her usual fare - or maybe my expectations have begun to set the bar too high. The series (after 14 earlier books) just seems to have gotten "tired."

In Fatally Flaky, Aspen Meadow's renowned Goldie Bear Catering has 2 nearly back-to-back wedding receptions. The first goes off without problem - except that one of the guests never makes it to the wedding. Doc Finn, a well-loved retired community physician, was supposed to give the bride away but his car runs off the road and he dies. But was it an accident? Goldy's godfather (and Finn's best friend) is suspicious and soon Goldy is too.

The second wedding is for the mother of all bridezillas. Billie Attenborough, bridezilla herself, changes dates, guest lists, menues, and finally reception halls on her way to the alter to quiet Dr. Craig Miller. The new reception location is the Gold Gulch Spa - run by Victor Lane, a long time adversary of Goldy's. In touring the new site, Goldy becomes aware that something strange is happening at the spa - clients can't wait to return. The plot here gets a bit transparent, but not crystal clear so the mystery still works.

Goldy's a strong woman. She's overcome a lot of difficulty in her life and created a successful catering business and a circle of wonderful friends. But in this book, she comes off as a bit of a doormat and wimp. Maybe it's because someone close to her becomes a victim in this book and she struggles to cope and grieve throughout her sleuthing. Maybe it's because we have no less than 4 despicable characters for her to contend with this time around. I don't know what to blame it on.

You don't have to read this series in order - but it's nice to grow with the returning characters. Each character has their own personality and quirks, but it's not as apparent if you only read one book. My favorite character is Marla - her best friend and someone who shares an "ex" with her. I have often wondered how Goldy and the other characters keep from gaining weight - lots of cream and other fattening ingredients are involved. It's impossible not to have cravings as you read Goldy cooking her way through a problem. But the big bonus to these books is that recipes are included!

Angels & Demons - Dan Brown

If you liked The DaVinci Code, you will probably like Angels & Demons. It's just as cerebral, but way more action.

Our protagonist, Robert Langdon, Harvard University Symbologist gets a call that will call upon his knowledge of a secret scientific society - the Illuminati. The Illuminati was established in the days of Galileo by a group wanting to discuss new ideas and not be punished by the Vatican. Langdon believed the society was long dead - but the evidence is proving otherwise. A scientist was murdered and a sample of antimatter was stolen from his lab. It appears the highly-explosive antimatter was kept safe in a container in a docking bay in the lab and has only 24 hours of battery life, after that, the explosion will remove several city blocks.

Langdon and the scientist's daughter (and scientist herself) Vittoria Vetra are swept off to Vatican City where 4 Cardinals went missing on the eve of a Papal conclav. The 4 Cardinals were the front runners to be elected the next Pope. In addition, a strange cylinder has appeared on one of the Vatican's security cameras - a camera they cannot now find. It would seem the Illuminati is finally planning to exact revenge on the Vatican - at the exact moment when all the Cardinals will be gathered in St. Peter's to elect the new Pope.

Langdon and Vetra follow clues in works of art all around Rome with the hope of finding the missing Cardinals and clues to the location of the antimatter. Langdon's impressive knowledge of art, religion, and swimming (yes swimming) come to his rescue on many occasions. With the aid of the late Pope's closest aide and the Swiss Guard, they race the clock to find the next clue. As they find each of the 4 locations they are led to, they find a missing Cardinal. At one location, Vetra is kidnapped and Langdon has a new purpose to outwit the assassin. Within minutes to go, he learns the late Pope's aid is the last target. Through all this, a reporter is hot on their heels in the hope of getting a scoop and a name for himself.

Before I knew it, I was halfway through the book - I couldn't read fast enough. It switches from action to mystery and back again many times in a virtual literary roller coaster. The premise is a bit far-fetched, but Brown is a master of twisting fact into fiction and in the vast amount of details he provides, you find it easy to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride.

Throughout the book you keep changing your mind on who the bad guys and good guys are and in the end I was completely surprised. The ending slowed a little quickly and was a little disappointing in my humble opinion - but it was easily forgiven since the story had left me breathless in several places. The fact that the press was able to do live reports of murders was harder to swallow than the resurfacing of an ancient cultlike society. And I would have liked to get to know Vittoria a little better. But for all the historic and/or scientific inaccuracies that may or may not exist, it's wonderfully plotted. Where else can you find an ancient secret brotherhood, plots against the Vatican, a mad scientist in a wheelchair, antimatter, assassins, AND art all squeezed into a little more than 24 hours.

Letter From Home - Carolyn Hart

This was an amazing book!

Set in a small town in Northeast Oklahoma in the summer of 1944 - World War II era - this book is a bittersweet coming-of-age story first and a mystery second. The mystery plot is merely a stage for each of the amazing characters - especially Gretchen.

The main character is 13-year-old Gretchen Gilman who gets a summer job as a reporter at the local newspaper because all the able-bodied men are at war. The editor doesn't believe it's the place for her, but he's desperate and fair, so he gives her assignments.

Faye Tatum, the local artist and free spirit, is murdered while her husband is home on leave. Since they've recently argued and he's disappeared, everyone assumes he did it. Faye loved to dance and spent many evenings at the Blue Light, which the narrow-minded townfolk don't see as a proper establishment for a lady. This and the stories of a late-night visitor to Faye's house cause many to think the worst of her character and even blame her for her own murder. With the town talking of Faye being a tramp and Clyde being a murderer, their teenage daughter Barb is crushed amid the rumor and innuendo and the loss of her parents.

The Tatum's are neighbors of Gretchen and she wants to write a sympathetic story of Faye as told through the eyes of all the people who knew her best and loved her. This backfires and Gretchen loses friends - but her journalistic integrity never allows her to consider withdrawing her story.

Each chapter opens with a bit of the "letter from home" that Gretchen, now 50 years older and a world known journalist, received from Barb, inviting her to come home and meet with her. After the chapter introduction, all the action of the book takes place in Gretchen's memory. As the letter is opened to us chapter by chapter, so is that summer in Gretchen's life and the murder that consumed the town.

Political ambitions clash during the investigation - as the county attorney and sheriff sort through the facts. The whole town chooses sides. Gretchen, who lives with her grandmother (an absolutely wonderful character) while her mother is working in Tulsa, gets to know the members of the community as they truly are. With the backdrop of the war, food rationing, and fallen soldiers, we look through the lens of the murder investigation and see what it does to the town. We get to see the community members as she does, as they really are. The characters are varied but they tend to fall into 2 categories - ones we like and ones we don't. It is in this world of flawed adults, that Gretchen loses her childlike naive nature.

Both Gretchen and Barb left town at the end of that summer. While the town rests after the murder is "solved" - with their suspicions affirmed - the murder isn't truly solved until Barb meets with Gretchen 50 years later - long after everyone who could be affected by the truth is dead.

Letter From Home captures small-town life to the degree that we feel we personally know this town. The stress that individuals and their community endure during the separation of war are amazingly vivid. While the mystery aspect of the book is good - though I knew the ending before they told me - this book is truly a poignant memoir of a young woman during the summer she grew up

Carolyn Hart did a wonderful job with this book - the story and characters remain with you long after you close the book. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

One for the Money - Janet Evanovich

Ok, imagine an unemployed lingerie buyer, car repossessed, furniture and most appliances sold to pay the bills, and an empty refrigerator. This is Stephanie Plum at the beginning of the book. Her family tells her that cousin Vinnie needs a file clerk and she swallows her pride and applies - only to find the job has already been filled. But one of his bounty hunters is in the hospital and Stephanie blackmails her way into a week to prove herself in the job. First bad guy, a cop named Joe Morelli who has been charged with murder, who also just happens to be the charmer who took her virginity years ago. Stephanie doesn't really feel comfortable in the job, but the dream of the $10,000 payoff deludes her into thinking she can bring in the bad guys.

One for the Money is fast-paced and hard to put down. Stephanie Plum is cocky and stubborn. She has no bounty hunter skills and doesn't know how to use her equipment. She tends to act first and think later. She spends her time dodging bad guys and bill collectors and yet somehow bumbles her way to some successes - but not with Joe Morelli. She catches up with him several times, but he tosses her keys in a smelly dumpster, kisses her senseless, and just generally has to keep coming to her rescue. The chemistry is palpable.

Stephanie is a real character. She dresses in classic 1980's wardrobe, drinks beer for breakfast, lives with a hampster, and has forced family dinners with her parents. Yet, even with all her cliches, you still really want her to suceed. You want her car to get fixed, you want her to learn to shoot, and you want her to catch the bad guys.

With that said, the book has it's flaws. The characters are a little too stereotypical -- the psycho bad guy, the overbearing mother, the sassy heroine, the rogue love interest, and the crazy grandmother. (Although, in all honesty, the grandmother provides the serious laugh out loud moment of the book when she plays with Stephanie's new gun and shoots the roast chicken in the butt at a family dinner.) Even the New Jersey setting is a stereotype of what we have all heard New Jersey to be. Additionally, there is some violence and some racial stereotypes.

The book is not mentally stimulating - but it is light, funny, interesting, and easy to absorbe. It's not a great thriller, and the gloating criminal confessing to the heroine while he holds a gun to her at the end of the book is really trite and unimaginative. While some of the characters are stereotypes, a few characters are a joy - like Ranger (a bounty hunter who is training her) and her grandmother. Joe and Stephanie have a wonderful chemistry that I'm sure will only get better with future books in the series.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and will read more in the series - if for no other reason, than to have another laugh out loud session.

The Beekeeper's Apprentice - Laurie R. King

This book was wonderful. I love it when I "like" the characters by the end of the first chapter. It makes continuing easy.

Imagine if Sherlock Holmes had retired to the country to work on his experiments, his writing, and take up beekeeping. This is where the story begins.

The book takes place during the time during and immediately post World War I. England is at war and women begin to take on a strong role in keeping the country alive while the men are fighting. Modern ideas are pushing away the remnants of Victorian England.

Through a twist in writing style - our book begins as someone describing how a trunk was delivered . . . a trunk that held many unusual objects and a memoir written by our main character and narrator, Mary Russell.

Mary is a precocious 15-year old who moves into the family farm next door with her aunt after her family is killed in an accident. Mary isn't just any teenager, she's brilliant, and so makes a perfect companion for Holmes. She rebels strongly against her bitter guardian and spends hours on end conversing with and learning from Sherlock Holmes. Mary is an early feminist and Holmes teaches her everything he can before she leaves for college in Oxford. It's sad that most of her teen years are skipped over with broad statements - I would have liked to have seen more of the young Mary. We fall in love with the gangly teenager and suddenly she's a woman who gives Holmes "apoplexy" when he first sees her again after her tranformation. The bulk of the book is set at a time when Mary is of college age.

The two soon have cases to solve - Mary isn't the "sidekick" of Holmes, like Dr. Watson had been - she's his partner and over the course of the book we see that she is becoming his equal in crime detection and his true friend in life. In many ways, she becomes the female Sherlock Holmes. In their crime detection, we follow them through a variety of disguises - from gypsies to transgendered dress.

Their first big case is the kidnapping of an American Senator's young daughter, which soon becomes apparent had a criminal mastermind behind it - the likes of which Holmes hasn't seen since Professor Moriarty. This foe escapes this time, but reappears later and seems to have studied Holmes thoroughly and is now out for Sherlock and everyone he cares about.

The book is not an Arthur Conan Doyle rip-off - though is definitely written in a similar style. If you have read any Sherlock Holmes stories, you will definitely feel like this picks up where they left off. But unlike the earlier stories, this Holmes has aged into a more subtle and infinitely more likeable, imperfect person. One of the reasons we like him is because he has such admiration and affection for his young colleague (our leading lady.) I know that in Doyle's Holmes, ego might not have allowed him to so easily brought on a young, female apprentice, but King's aging Holmes does it believably.

As with most first books to a collection, this one has some slight flaws, but overall is a great mystery. I can't wait to continue on to the rest of the series.

Dead Until Dark -- Charlaine Harris

This is a fun book. Not a heavy read - perfect for a fast weekend pickup.

Dead Until Dark is the first in the Southern Vampire Series and is of the horror/romance/mystery genre (if there is such a thing.)

The story takes place in Bon Temps, LA in a time after vampires have newly become a legal minority. It explains that they are actually victims of a virus and with the creation of artificial blood, they no longer are a danger to society. Some vampires begin "mainstreaming" and others are just nasty folks.

Sookie Stackhouse, a barmaid had "been waiting for the vampire for years when he walked into the bar," couldn't wait to meet her first vampire, but they didn't show up in her small town until Bill moved back to the family homestead with hope to find a home. Sookie, the storyteller in this book, has a "disability" of her own - she can read minds. She considers it a handicap and tries to keep it blocked at all times - this takes a lot of effort and people see her as different and even slow. In every other way, Sookie is average -though quite naive, a little sassy, very proper, and surprisingly brave. She is immediately taken by Bill because she can't read his mind - think about it, do you really want to know what the person you are kissing is thinking?

Shortly after Bill makes his appearance in Sookie's life, an old high school acquaintance dies. Then a coworker. Both of these women were "fang-bangers" or vampire groupies. Sookie tries to solve the murders because she's afraid Bill will be blamed. Though he's not off the hook, he earns some respect as he agrees to speak before the Daughters of the Glorious War and tell them what the Civil War was really like. The police attention quickly turns to Sookie's brother - quite the male slut - as it is uncovered that's he's been involved with both women. The murders continue and a vigilante group begins to form. Sookie tries opening herself up to others thoughts in order to solve the murder.

The sex scenes are a little odd, but not too graphic. Her meetings with the head vampire are definitely a little bloody, but nothing too horrific. The addition of a shape-shifter was unnecessary, but a little funny.

The best part of the book - by far - is the depictions of small town America. Harris completely captures small-town life - gossip, attitudes toward outsiders, generosity, and taking care of your neighbors. I will definitely be picking up #2 in the Southern Vampire Series.

Star of the Sea -- Joseph O'Connor

Wow! This book was not my usual fare!

Don't get me wrong, it was good . . . it was excellent. But I couldn't get over the feeling that I was back in college literature class. This book is not today's usual - it's literature.

The journey of the Star of the Sea is metaphor for the progression of the world at that time. On the ship is a microcosm of the world during the Irish Potato Famine as seen through the eyes of a few main characters.

Pius Mulvey and Mary Duane are Irish. They are, however, opposite sides of the same coin. Mulvey sees the injustice and hardship and learns to take what he wants. Friendship is a luxury to him and his selfishness leads way to maliciousness. It is decided by some of his countrymen that he needs to murder the perceived source of their misery. Mary sees the injustice and hardship and does whatever necessary to survive and possibly rise above it. She represents all immigrant women and seems to always be choosing between the lesser of two evils.

David Meredith is an English Lord that grew up seeing his father's tenants as friends. His father did not view his tenants kindly and, after losing his money in a bad investment, died, leaving it to his son to evict the tenants and sell the land. For his and his ancestors injuries to the tenants - David will die. David appears to have good intentions, but is seldom forceful enough to follow through. He represents the weakening aristocracy and, as such, can never make it in the New World. He has a problem with the drugs prescribed to help him sleep - but it isn't apparent whether the drugs weaken him to lapses of moral behavior or are just a part of his overall weakness.

Dixon, the narrator of the book, tells the story from the viewpoint of the lead male characters (himself included.) He's an American journalist - and represents the New World. He's very forward thinking for the time and gives voice to people with no voice.

The author uses captains logs and adds real people from the period to the character list, which ads a sense of realism. The listing of the newly deceased at the beginning of each of the Captain's entries keeps the tone melancholy. But, is it a novel or a history lesson? At one point, Meredith is quoted as saying "History happens in the first person but is written in the third. This is what makes history a completely useless art." O'Connor, by way of his alternating points of view - makes the telling of history in the first person and we are more enlightened for it.

Star of the Sea is a murder mystery - but not really. There is a murder (sort of, is it considered murder if it's really what the person wants to happen?) There is a mystery, but you don't realize what the mystery is until the very end of the book.

All in all, I am better for reading this book - but I'm not sure how quickly I'll pick up anything else by this author because it was quite a chore to get through.