A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.
Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.
This was on so many favorites last year and now I know why! Historical fiction loosely based on a short period of time in the life of midwife Martha Ballard.
It starts with a birth and a dead body found in the frozen Kennebec River in 1780s Maine. It’s a bit mystery, a bit history lesson, a bit pre-constitution court drama, and a whole lot of a woman’s role in the world at the time.
I loved it and that was before the Author’s Note at the end! I loved learning about the process and the real Martha Ballard, midwife to the births of 1000 children.
Perfect for cold weather so get busy! Have you read this one?
“And then I cry. Mostly for Rebecca and the tiny, unwanted beating heart deep within her womb. But also for myself. And our daughters. And for every other woman who lives, suffers, and dies by the mercurial whims of men.” Vassalboro Wednesday, December 23
I read 12 books this month, bringing my total to 22 for the year. I’m disappointed that I didn’t get more read for Black History Month, with only four. I’m also not reading as much nonfiction as I wanted to this year with only 2 each month.
My favorite books were the Dear Martin and Dear Justyce by Nic Stone. I reviewed them here and here.
I finished the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French with
The Likeness. Book 2. Cassie from In the Woods has started dating a fellow detective and things are going well, but she can’t resist the call to the murder squad when an undercover case seems tailor made for her. There’s a murdered young woman who looks just like Cassie and Mackey convinces her to go and live with the clan-like circle of friends at their house and try to pass herself off as the dead girl. Yeah, it’s a little much, but just go with it. Cassie becomes a little too entrenched and too comfortable.
This wasn’t my favorite, mainly because of how much of a stretch it was, but it was still a fascinating look at a group or friends looking for family.
AND
The Trespasser. Book 6. Stephen Moran and Antoinette Conway are back from the last book and the pressure in on. They are given a murder case and told it is a domestic slam dunk. But both are new and wary. When they dig a little deeper, it’s going to make them even less popular in the squad room. I thought one of the storylines at the very end was a fitting way to finish off the series without too much fanfare. I wish there were more!
My book club reads…
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. One day Lauren wakes up in her London area home with a husband who appeared out of her attic. When she sends him up again a different husband comes back down. This goes on for a while as she tries on different lives with different men. What makes her send one back and what if they refuse to go?
It’s a fun concept. I wish it had been a little deeper on some levels, but each new husband brought new excitement so I was never bored.
Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren. Josh + Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is a fun friends to lovers, second chance love story. Hazel’s newish best friend has a party and she finds out that her college crush is her BFs brother.
Hazel has one of those quirky, larger than life personalities and I loved her. I loved how she embraced who she is. As Josh and Hazel become friends and start to double date it’s the sweet, fun romance that I wanted. Don’t worry there was a little spice too!
Call Me Miss Hamilton: One Woman’s Case for Equality and Respect by Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffery Boston Weatherford. Miss Mary Hamilton was a school teacher and a Freedom Rider in the 1960s, given the nickname Red by Martin Luther King Jr. She was arrested many times but her refusal to not answer to Mary in court went all the way to the Supreme Court. Now, thanks to Miss Hamilton, you must be addressed with the respect of your title in the courtroom.
Fiction
Murder Road by Simone St. James. You’ve just gotten married and are driving to your honeymoon hotel when you see a girl on the side of the road at 3 am and decide to pick her up. What could go wrong? Answer: Quite a lot. This isn’t the only hitchhiker this road has seen and it only gets more sinister when they get to town.
I loved this couple. April had secrets, Eddie did too, and together they were broken people. I wouldn’t even mind reading another book about what they’re up to in the future.
It’s Simone St. James so you know there’s going to be some supernatural stuff happening. Not too much and not too little. Just enough to be spooky.
YA
Slay by Brittney Morris. Discussions about race wrapped up in a gaming story will surely appeal to older teens. Gage is reading this for school and I read it with him.
The Dublin Murder Squad is a detective procedural set in Dublin, Ireland. I’m such a stickler for reading book in a series in the correct order. I read the first of the series and then just read them when they showed up at the library book sale. I loved all of the books individually, but it would have been so much better if I’d read them in order.
Give me a murder and some police squad drama both with that Irish accent and I’m sold. Some of the detectives show up in more than one book, which is why I recommend reading them in order since the timeline matters.
I haven’t read any of Tana’s standalones, but now that I’m done with this series I will be. There are only six of these and they are perfect for some binge reading.
In the Woods. Ryan narrates the book with humor and enough foreshadowing to keep you reading well past bedtime (at least it did for me). He has his problems. At the best of times he’s cool and fun, at the worst he’s a real piece of work who I wanted to pour a beer on. He’s best friends with his partner, Cassie, and their brother-sister relationship was one to be envied, by their fellow detectives and the reader. I loved Cassie. Loved her more than Rob, especially by the end.
The old mystery of what happens to Rob as a child and the new case of who killed little Katy have a few pieces of connecting evidence and Rob is stuck in the middle of his own hell, one he stepped into willingly. The mystery was very good, if not totally surprising. I loved the characters and the history of the village. French did an excellent job of making me feel right at home in Dublin. Now I need to visit!
I really, really liked this one. Yes, by the end I was fairly disgusted with Rob, but I am so looking forward to reading the next of this series. I know that a lot of bloggers were upset by the loose ends but I was okay with it. But that could have been because I was expecting it, who knows?
The Likeness. Cassie from In the Woods has started dating a fellow detective and things are going well, but she can’t resist the call to the murder squad when an undercover case seems tailor made for her. There’s a murdered young woman who looks just like Cassie and Mackey convinces her to go and live with the clan-like circle of friends at their house and try to pass herself off as the dead girl. Yeah, it’s a little much, but just go with it. Cassie becomes a little too entrenched and too comfortable.
This wasn’t my favorite, mainly because of how much of a stretch it was, but it was still a fascinating look at a group or friends looking for family.
Faithful Place. This was the third book in the Dublin Murder Squad series, but I’d only read the first and didn’t feel like I missed anything, even though the main character, Frank, first appeared in #2. The complex characters, historic Dublin setting, and slow build mystery, all made this a page-turner.
Frank, an undercover cop from a neighborhood who viewed him as a turncoat because of it, had never come to grips with the disappearance of his first love. He viewed his family as poison and went on to marry and have a daughter and kept them as far away from the madness as possible. But when his first love’s old suitcase is found, he must head back home and face the music.
So, so good. I loved Frank for all his flaws and getting to understand him in relation to where he grew up, which felt like a character of its own. The resolution was both real and heartbreaking. I love gritty thrillers like this. Highly recommend!
Broken Harbor. This story begins with a young family murdered in their home. Well there was one survivor, but it wasn’t either of the young kids. This was an especially hard one and when I finished it on Mother’s Day it felt especially wrong.
Families can look glossy on the surface, but once you rub a bit of that shine off there’s usually something more interesting going on and in this case it was deadly. Bizarre revelations, old friends, and financial instability make the mystery of this family a tough one. This hasn’t been my favorite of the series, but they’re all so good that it didn’t need to be.
The Secret Place. You don’t need to read these books in order, but I’d recommend it if you can. My favorite of the series so far, Faithful Place, featured Detective Frank Mackey and he and his daughter make another appearance here. Stephen Moran is also back.
This one takes place at a boarding school for girls. A year after a boy from a neighboring school was murdered on school grounds the detectives have a new lead and it comes from inside the school. Oh, to be amongst all of that teen angst and those friendship circles again!
The book spans one day of investigation, but it goes into the past investigation and events in depth. I wasn’t crazy about it at first, boarding school stories are iffy for me, but it grew on me and Frank Mackey appeared at just the right time to reel me in for the somewaht surprising finish.
Tana French is such a talented writer! Both books had a paranormal element that mostly worked, even if I think it could have been avoided altogether in The Secret Place and been fine, or even better.
The Trespasser. Stephen Moran and Antoinette Conway are back from the last book and the pressure in on. They are given a murder case and told it is a domestic slam dunk. But both are new and wary. When they dig a little deeper, it’s going to make them even less popular in the squad room. I thought one of the storylines at the very end was a fitting way to finish off the series without too much fanfare. I wish there were more!
Shortly after teenager Quan enters a not guilty plea for the shooting death of a police officer, he is placed in a holding cell to await trial. Through a series of flashbacks and letters to Justyce, the protagonist of Dear Martin, Quan’s story unravels.
From a troubled childhood and bad timing to a coerced confession and prejudiced police work, Nic Stone’s newest novel takes an unflinching look at the flawed practices and ideologies that discriminate against African American boys and minorities in the American justice system.
from Goodreads
I raved about Dear Martin by Nic Stone earlier this week and now I’m back to rave about Dear Justyce the follow up book. I’m not sure which one I liked more. Read them and tell me what you think!
In the first book teen Justyce wrote letters to MLKJr to make sense of his experiences with race and friendship. In this second book his incarcerated friend, Quan, who we met briefly in book one, writes letters to Justyce. Both boys are from the same neighborhood but ended up on two very different paths.
I loved how his friendship with Justyce helped inspire him. Just knowing that Justyce cared what happened to him made a difference for Quan. His look back at how he ended up in prison is more about what happened to get him there than what is actually happening in prison, although there’s some of that.
Surprisingly, I love Quan just as much as I love Justyce and I think you might too.
Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out. from Goodreads
Dear Martin is my first book by Nic Stone but it won’t be my last. Justyce lives at a fancy high school prep school, escaping his neighborhood, but not the color of his skin. When he’s unfairly treated by a police officer while trying to help his girlfriend he starts to see his Ivy League future in a different way.
This book is powerful. It’s also thoughtful and has a 💯 chance of being banned by those on the DEI hunt. You should need no other reason to read it than that, but I can give you a few more.
It will give you all the feels and educate at the same time. Justyce owns his own prejudices. He doesn’t shy away from admitting where he too could use some growth. His letters to Martin Luther King Jr. are inspiring. He aspires to be more and because of that he is.
There’s never been a better time to read this!
“You can’t change how other people think and act, but you’re in full control of you. When it comes down to it, the only question that matters is this: If nothing in the world ever changes, what type of man are you gonna be?”
“Yeah, there are no more “colored” water fountains, and it’s supposed to be illegal to discriminate, but if I can be forced to sit on the concrete in too-tight cuffs when I’ve done nothing wrong, it’s clear there’s an issue. That things aren’t as equal as folks say they are.”
“But before you say something “isn’t fair,” you should consider your starting point versus someone else’s.”
“I thought if I made sure to be an upstanding member of society, I’d be exempt from the stuff THOSE black guys deal with, you know? Really hard to swallow that I was wrong.”
I’ve read 10 books this month. Four were mystery/thrillers, three romances, two non-fiction, and one fiction. Well on my way to my 100 goal for the year. Most amazingly, I’ve actually shared my thoughts about each of them here this month!
My favorite
This will not hit the same for everyone. I’ve read some of the issues people have had with it, BUT it did so much right! The disappearance of the father is what keeps this first person narrative moving along, but there are so many other things happening. Mia, the narrator, gives neurospicy vibes, which I love, but it’s her non-speaking younger brother with Angleman Syndrome that brings accurate representation to all kinds of families. There are studies about happiness and a biracial element too. You will be rooting for a happy ending for this family. my review here
Good Stuff
In my quest to read more current nonfiction this year, I picked this up at the library. It’s written by a woman diagnosed with autism as an adult and she shares some of the current thinking on the front lines of the neurodivergent. The numbers are abysmal. If you are neurodivergent your chance of having a job are so low it makes this mama want to cry. Also, the life expectancy is in the 30s. 30s! Something needs to change. my review here
This is the 4th and final book in a historical romance series set in London. The series revolves around three friends who bond over their love of riding. This last one, may have been my favorite because it was about two people finding comfort in each other. The hero was in a wheelchair and the heroine started going gray as a child so her desirability was low. A sweet romance. my review here
While the last romance was more about feelings, this one was a bit more on the physical attraction, enemies to lovers side. I had issues with some of it, but I really liked that this got messy and still managed a happily ever after. my review here
This was my first book of the year and it was a twisty fun thriller. A woman who lies for a living gets played. my review here
I love Anita Shreve and am working my way through her backlist. Her writing mesmerizes me 🙂 In this one a widow and a divorcee is staying with a family on Cape Cod to tutor the teen daughter. There are also two brothers, a caring father, and hateful mother. my review here
If you need a restart or a jolt to your daily life, this is a nice place to start. Meditation and mindfulness are the themes, but there are also studies and ways to look at the world and the people in it. Buddhism based, but good for anyone who wants to be more connected. my review here
These were okay
I didn’t realize this was the third in a series when I started it, but wish I had so I could have started with the first one. It was fine as a standalone, but probably would have been better if I’d read the first two. my review here
Kleypas is one of my favorite historical romance authors. This was the first book in the Wallflowers series, and as a first book it was fine. I didn’t particularly care that much for the heroine, but her other friends might prove more interesting. my review here
I didn’t care that much for it before the recent plane crash, but now it makes it almost impossible to talk about. A plane crashes into the ocean. You can read my review from a few weeks ago here.
“Happiness is love. Full Stop.” That is the conclusion of George Vaillant, the director of a 75 year study conducted by Harvard University that followed 268 men over the course of their lives. Valliant summarized the study’s conclusion as the “warmth of relationships throughout life have the greatest positive impact on ‘life satisfaction.'” page 118
Wanna be Radically Happy? Well a meditation master and a Silicon Valley bro team up here to let you in on the way. This book is beautifully illustrated. I’ve enjoyed just flipping through it again to write my thoughts.
If you know about meditation and mindfulness, much of this will cover familiar ground. But there is also more about interconnectedness and ways to make it all work in your life. They also included lots of studies, one of which was also mentioned in the fiction book, Happiness Falls. They did cover some of the same ground!
I like reading these types of mindfulness books because, at least for a bit, I do a better job on staying in the moment and loving myself and others proudly and loudly.
I think this is worth a look if you want some introspection and aspire to be a better person.
“Radical Happiness is not found in situations and things” p. 17
“I’ve been through lots of terrible things in my life. Some of them happened. – Mark Twain” p. 32
A Talent for Murder. Finished 1-27-25. Thriller, 3.5/5 stars, 255 pages, 2024
“When she was a seven-year-old she had declared rain to be the best weather because it was reading weather.”
I feel the same way about cold and snow! When I picked this up I didn’t realize it was the third in a series, but it is. I enjoyed it as a standalone, but I did feel like I was missing something with the two main characters of The Kind Worth Killing books.
Who doesn’t love a good serial killer thriller? Martha’s husband is a traveling salesman. Who knew this was even still a thing? One day he comes home with a little blood on his shirt and, BOOM!, she’s thinking serial killer. I don’t know about you but there are at least 1000 thoughts I’d have before that one was ever entertained.
But the thought is there so she calls her old friend Lily to see if she thinks it could be true.
It was fine, but would have been better if I’d read the first two.
Drowning by TJ Newman. Thriller, 3/5 stars. 304 pages, 2023
Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors—but it’s too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside.
I’m not a good flier. I’m a mess and I don’t recommend getting in a plane with me. I’m planning a trip in March that I’ll have to get on a plane for and I’m already low key stressed about it 😆. But I read TJ Newman’s first book, Falling, about a hijacked airplane and I liked it so I thought I’d give this a try.
In Drowning a plane has crashed into the ocean after leaving Hawaii. As the surviving crew and passengers scramble to evacuate, some decide to stay in the plane and wait to be rescued.
I listened to this one, which is good I guess because I never would have made it through reading a physical copy. The beginning was intense and I liked it, but it lost momentum and I just wasn’t that invested. It’s got good ratings, but it just wasn’t for me.
This week I had the change to attend a small book club with Mary Reynolds Powell, a nurse who served in Vietnam during the war. In 2003 she published a book with her story and those of others who she interviewed. She said that she thought The Women by Kristin Hannah got it right. AND she came home and married the doctor she worked with at Long Binh. It was a lovely evening set up by Gage’s school, where Mary currently sits on the Board of Trustees. I’m really looking forward to reading this.
Last night we attended Gage’s school’s school play and this morning we attended a new church. I’ve spent lots of time at the library this week sorting donations and maintaining the ongoing book sale. It’s nice to be healthy again!
I only managed one movie this week, the new Jamie Foxx/Cameron Diaz Netflix movie, Back in Action. It was fine. Predictable. But if you want to see Cameron in action again after ten years, you’ll be okay with it.
Plans for the weekend What’s left of it will be spend making lists and prepping for the week. What about you?
Stacy's Books 