Book Reviews: Literary Feast 2023
Recapping Book Reviews Covering 2023 Literary Feast Authors
Fast-paced ‘London Seance Society’
During the Victorian Era, spiritualism, ghost sightings and séances were the rage in Great Britain and the United States as people from all strata of society yearned to communicate with the dead. In her second novel, Sarah Penner again visits that spiritualist movement, showing the desperation of those who want to commune with departed loved ones, the frequent scams, the danger and the misogyny that often ruled.
Raybourn returns to Victorian mystery in ‘Sinister Revenge’
Authors who take a break from a popular series usually stick with the same era, background and type of character. Last year, Deanna Raybourn took a break from her best-selling historical series set in the Victorian Age about lepidopterist Veronica Speedwell in favor of a highly original contemporary novel about an all-female elite assassin squad who after 40 years and now in their 60s were ready for retirement. “Killers of a Certain Age” evolved into an intriguing view of how older people, especially women, often are overlooked and underestimated.
A light ‘Beach’ read
Alicia Bessette delivers a few smiles — as well as appealing characters, a strong sense of place and a solid plot — in her energetic “Smile Beach Murder.”
The launch of a new series, “Smile Beach Murder” works well as a story about a woman rebuilding her life after losing her dream job while making peace with her past and reconnecting with her small hometown.
