The Au Pair by Emma Rous

The Au Pair by Emma Rous. Berkley (an imprint of Penguin Random House), 2019. Adult fiction.

The tale is told in alternating voices by Laura, the au pair, and Seraphine, one of a set of twins born at Summerbourne, an estate on the coast of Norfolk, England. Laura comes to work for the family in 1991.  In 2017, after their father dies, Seraphine finds a photo taken on the day she was born that shows her mother holding only one baby. In the hours after the twins' births, Seraphine's mother had killed herself. Now their father has died. Who can answer the many questions Seraphine has now? 

Well plotted and with enough action to keep readers guessing, this mystery is a winner. Who's who and what's what keeps shifting as we root for Seraphine to find out the truth about her heritage and to plan her future.

Forever Young: A Memoir by Hayley Mills

  Forever Young: A Memoir by Hayley Mills. Grand Central Publishing (Hachette), 2021. Adult autobiography.

     Those of us of a certain age remember child actor Hayley Mills fondly. We wanted to be her best friend! Now, she is grown and has written her own account of the magical years with her acting family including her famous father, John Mills, and her actor sister, Juliet Mills. Always a sweet and hopeful person, Hayley does not dwell on the unpleasant aspects of her schooling (or lack of it), the difficult financial arrangements made for her (and that cheated her out of much of what she earned as a child through British taxation rules), and the lack of time and consistency needed to make true friends as an adolescent. It is fascinating to read of Old Hollywood and Walt Disney. Apparently, Disney opened the archives for her to use files on her time with the studio. The ending seems rushed as Hayley never really talks about the father of her son, Ace. She does not update readers on her father, mother, or second son either. While she is still acting, this book is proof that she can write, too! 

     

My First Pop-Up Mythological Monsters by Owen Davey

 

  My First Pop-Up Mythological Monsters. By Owen Davey. 2020.  Candlewick Press, First US edition, 2021. 

   Certainly millennial parents who are great fans of mythology will want this simple pop-up book for their little ones! Fifteen monsters from all over the world are portrayed in the beautifully colored pop-up pages. The illustrations have been created digitally and really fill the square pages disgned to fit inside a child's hands.  A dragon, a unicorn, and a jackalope may be recognizable to some readers, but griffin, chimera, shachihoko, and fenrir may be new to many. The kraken, Medusa, and cylclops are also included as are others. Certainly, younger children need help navigating the delicate pages of pop-up books. The one or two sentences about each creature will make it easy for an adult to share with a child. Use this as a resource when one of the creatures is mentioned in another storybook. What a fun addition to the library of mythology fans! 

Scribbles, Sorrows, and Russet Leather Boots: The Life of Louisa May Alcott by Liz Rosenberg.

 

 Scribbles, Sorrows, and Russet Leather Boots: The Life of Louisa May Alcott. By Liz Rosenberg. Illustrated by Diana Sudyka. Candlewick Press, 2021. Biography for older children, tweens, teens, and adults. 

     This 410 page biography of Louisa May Alcott covers her whole life. The author cites her sources in the back. Each chapter is preceded by a full page, white and black illustration. While many readers already know some of the detail presented here, others will find Alcott's  very short nursing career in the Civil War a surprise. The poverty of the family and Alcott's poor health during most of her life are described with sympathy and honesty. It is Louisa's courage and determination to succeed and to care for her family that thread throughout the narrative. Rosenberg's book will be a good addition to especially middle school and high school libraries. 

Palace of the Drowned: A Novel by Christine Mangan

 

 Palace of the Drowned: A Novel by Christine Mangan. Flatiron Books, 2021. Adult fiction, mystery

Frankie Croy can't seem to get past her writer's block long after an early successful novel. She has a very public mental breakdown after a negative review is published and goes to 1966 Venice to rest and write. When she is approached by a young woman who claims to have met her before, Frankie can't quite remember. Gilly becomes a strong presence in Frankie's solitary life. Can Gilly be trusted? Will the relationship destroy Frankie's decades long friendship with Jack? What about the swirling images and memories in Frankie's mind?  The suspense and atmospheric, moody setting of the great flood in Venice in 1966 make great reading. Readers will find themselves fascinated by it all! 

There must have been something in the water during the pandemic when writers seem to have concentrated on writing about writers! See review of The Plot: A Novel also.

If you enjoyed the creepy first novel, Tangerine, by this author, you'll love this new one! Mangan writes complicated characters and no one is better at time and place descriptions.

The Plot: A Novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz

 

  The Plot: A Novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Celadon Books, 2021.

                                             Adult fiction, suspense and mystery.

Jake Finch Bonner is a not very talented or motivated writer who is teaching writing at a small college. When a bright student, Evan Parker, shares the brilliant plot he has planned for a novel, Jake waits for its publication. Nothing happens. Jake learns of Parker's death and decides the plot was just too good not to be published. Of course, he writes the novel under his own name and it is a success. But, when Jake is accused of being a thief, this tale really takes off. Does someone out there know his secrets? Is Evan Parker alive? Who is Jake's biggest fan?  There are twists and turns everywhere and readers will enjoy every one! 

Lauded by everyone from Stephen King to a Book of the Month selection choice by amazon.com, this tale is truly gripping. Just set aside some reading time when you start it! Jake's college is Ripley which brings to mind The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. His middle name makes readers think of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Such inclusions are all part of the fun.

When We Were Vikings: A Novel by Andrew David MacDonald

 

 When We Were Vikings: A Novel  by Andrew David MacDonald. Scout Press, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, 2020. Adult fiction.

Zelda, 21, lives with her older brother, Gert. Zelda is not "normal" by any means yet she is courageous, smart, and clever. She sees a doctor weekly, goes to be with peers at the community center, makes lists of things, uses a computer, gets a job at the local library, and loves anything and everything Viking. Gert, on the other hand, is quite brilliant, but not really motivated. When Gert gets involved with some creeps, it is Zelda who must summon strength to go on a quest to save them. MacDonald never talks down about Zelda and readers find out more about the background of the siblings. Zelda will probably spur readers to reach within themselves and be legendary, too.