The Madstone: A Novel by Elizabeth Crook

The Madstone: A Novel by Elizabeth Crook. Little, Brown and Company, 2023. 279 pages. Historical fiction. Adult.

   Told in the form of a letter written by Benjamin Shreve in November, 1868, in Comfort, Texas, this historical fiction will delight readers of Lonesome Dove and other Western fans. Benjamin, a wood worker, becomes involved with passengers on a stranded stagecoach after it is robbed by bandits. Dickie, or Richard Dean Bell, has a purse with a treasure. Pregnant Bell Banes and her four-year-old son, Tot, are trying to get to New Orleans. Benjamin goes on a harrowing journey to help these people and finds himself. Boerne and Comfort are the main settings, but join these travelers as they embark on an epic adventure and face danger.

Where the Light Falls: A Novel of the French Revolution by Allison Pataki and Owen Pataki

 

  

Where the Light Falls: A Novel of the French Revolution by Allison Pataki and Owen Pataki. The Dial Press, 2017. Adult historical fiction.

          The intertwining stories of Jean Luc, a young lawyer, and his wife Marie who move to Paris hoping to help in the Revolution that will determine the future of their country. The king and queen are dead and Napoleon is just coming to power. Andre, a former nobleman and now soldier and his brother, Remy, fight for France. Sophie, a young widow, tries to escape her powerful and corrupt uncle and to be with Andre. Action is brisk with lots of fighting and intrigue. While readers may know where the actual history goes, it is fun to follow these characters as their lives interact during the turbulent times.  

The Queen's Fortune by Allison Pataki

 

 The Queen's Fortune: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire. Ballantine Books, 2020. Adult historical fiction.

With the new movie about Napoleon out in late 2023, readers may enjoy brushing up on French history. This historical fiction is really the story of his early love, Desiree Clary. When the younger man goes to seek his fortune in Paris, she waits patiently for him. But, Fate has other things in mind for them both and it all makes a terrific story.  Descriptions of the places and people are stunning. Well researched and including a short list of fiction and  nonfiction titles for further reading, this novel allows readers to transport themselves to a time that turned the world on its head.

Mercy Watson is Missing! by Kate DiCamillo

 

Mercy Watson is Missing! by Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. Candlewick, 2023. Children's chapter book.

If you are not familiar with the adventures on Deckawoo Drive, run to the nearest library and check them all out! Mercy, the porcine wonder, seems to be gone. Mr. and Mrs. Watson call in their friends and neighbors to help find her. Private investigator Percivval Smidgely and his girlfriend, Louella Smith (SMITH? :) ) become involved as do Leroy Ninker and his horse Maybelline and others. Put some toast in your toaster and join the fun! Yippie-i-oh! Maybe look into some Butter Barrel stock, too!

 

 

 The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt. Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2023. Children's middle grade fiction.

After the death of their parents, Achilles and Hercules Beal run their family's nursery business on Cape Cod. Hercules is going into seventh grade in the Cape Cod Academy for Environmental Sciences this fall. His homeroom teacher is Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer and his English class will be studying classical mythology. Hercules, the smallest kid in the class, has the assignment of studying the labors of the mythical Hercules and reporting back on them and how his own life is affected by the study. 

Hercules is learning to deal with his parents' deaths, going to a new school, making friends, working hard at the nursery, and learning about his community and neighbors. Schmidt has done a masterful job of showing how his teacher's influence helps him become a better writer and person. From golden leaves on trees to making a noble gesture at an art auction to learning to like and understand his brother's girlfriend and understanding that people can stay in touch over miles and time, Hercules is a hero for the ages. He finds that a single person does not have to overcome all by himself, but can be made stronger by others.

This is a wonderful story of friendship, family, really hard work, and happiness beyond belief. It would make a great read-a-loud for a classroom.

Capote's Women by Laurence Leamer

 

 Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2021. Nonfiction.

Most people recognize the name of writer Truman Capote for his works Breakfast at Tiffany's or In Cold Blood. Equally known for his gay lifestyle and appearances on television talk shows and at Studio 54 in New York City, Capote lived the high life, making friends with some of the world's most beautiful women. Their wealth and generosity allowed Capote to travel the world, sail on their yachts, meet their friends, and share intimate confidences.

The big problem was that Truman Capote loved gossip and he planned to write a "tell all" book about these "swans" as he called them. When Capote published proposed chapters of his upcoming "Answered Prayers", most of his women friends were horrified at his betrayal and shunned him. The book was never published. Leamer focuses on seven of these women as well as Capote's life. 

The Indigo Girl: A Novel by Natasha Boyd

 

 The Indigo Girl: A Novel by Natasha Boyd. Blackstone Publishing,   2017. Adult Historical fiction.

In 1739, it becomes necessary for Colonel Lucas to return to Antigua from America, he leaves his sixteen year old daughter Eliza in charge of their three plantations including slaves. With the son and heir in boarding school in England and her mother a less than stalwart presence, Eliza becomes a capable manager. With rice crops losing value and timber taking years to grow, she begins an indigo crop after learning how much the French pay for the dye.  Undercut at every turn, but with the help of a few others, she has much to learn.

Based on the life of a true woman, the author provides a few poems, prayers, and letters from one of South Carolina's true heroines. The state flag is blue after all!! The only negative, small but which drove this reader crazy, were the grammatical errors involving he and I and him and me. Eliza seems to have not made any other errors so it must have been a poor editing job that mars a terrific story well told.