'The Key'

There are those of us who unashamedly adore religious conspiracy stories.  'The DaVinci Code' may not have been the first book published dealing with 'all things hidden', but it certainly fed our appetites, merely for its subject matter.  Jesus married?  And the father of a child?  Why not, I say.  Dan Brown wrote a delicious story that left me hungry for more.

I found quite a few written in the same vein.  Some were so-so; most were extraordinary.  I took to the internet and library, and studied.  Of course, the truth didn't quite quench my thirst.  I found I wanted more religious mysteries.  The more fictiony, the better.  More relics!  More blasphemy!  More women standing up and defeating religious misogyny!  More 'good vs. evil'!

When I read 'Sanctus', by Simon Toyne (Book Hog October 2011), I was mesmerized by the group of monks bound and determined to keep their astonishing sacrament hidden.  But then, along comes a woman, and their whole world in the secretive Citadel is almost blown to hell.  Go, women!

When I finished reading the last page, I was delighted to learn that Mr. Toyne would be continuing the adventures of the mad monks.  I couldn't wait to read it.

Just one year later, I opened 'The Key', and I was lost for a day and a half.  The laundry could wait.  My husband could feed the cats.  I had the sequel I'd been dying to read.

And it was worth it.

Courageous journalist, Liv Adamsen, having escaped from the Citadel, is now isolated in a hospital, where she has lost most of her memory of that horrific time.  Despite that fact,  something stirs within her, bringing with it strange dreams and whispering voices.  But when others hear of this, they know exactly what it means, and are bound and determined to silence her.  A desert mercenary, known as 'The Ghost', knows that Liv holds the key to a very powerful secret.  The monks, now suffering from a brutal plague, want her returned.  And the only man she trusts, her beloved Gabriel, does his utmost to rescue her from danger.  Together, they race against time to reach the cradle of civilization in order to fulfill a prophecy of the 'end times'.

It was good to become acquainted with Liv and Gabriel once again.  The villains pursuing them were merciless and contained no warmth, which is how a good villain should be portrayed, in Book Hog's opinion.  Surprises abound, the action is relentless, and some people are not who they appear to be.

And when you finish this well-written story, I hope that you will share my theory.

Let's hope it plays out in book number three.

Laundry be damned!

'The Night Circus'

"There are many kinds of magic, after all"

It is during times like these when we all need some sort of escape.  Be it via a vacation, or a hike, or even listening to music, we need to leave behind those things which cause us stress.  

I escape into stories.  And the one I have just finished reading led me far, far away from stress and politics and financial worries.  It gently took me by the hand and led me down a path filled with brilliant imagery.  

'The Night Circus', by Erin Morgenstern, is the object of my affection.  It has been reviewed extensively; either loved or disliked by its critics, it is, for me, one of the most original stories I've encountered in a long, long time.  

Magical, delicate, a swirl of colors.  Characters that challenge you.  Characters with whom you fall in love.  A 'game' that has no purpose and no clear end in sight.  

This story is magic, plain and simple.  No parlor tricks; no 'smoke and mirrors'.  Ironically, it is full of real illusion.

The two unwilling pawns in the game are Celia, a brilliant illusionist, and Marco, one of the caretakers of Le Cirque des Rêves.  But neither are aware that they are adversaries in an ages-old game set forth by two men:  Celia's father and 'the man in the grey suit'.

As a 'stage' for the competition, Le Cirque des Rêves is born, but it is not one full of clowns, bearded ladies, and carnival games.  This is a circus ablaze with color and texture, each tent housing scenes and illusions that touch the hearts of each visitor.  You will meet Bailey; the twins, Widget and Poppet; the clockmaker, Herr Thiessen; and Chandresh Lefèvre, Marco's 'employer'.   

But if I could say more, I would.  This beautiful and well-written story must be read and savored and passed on to someone who needs a bit of magic right now.  I will visit 'The Night Circus' again, perhaps many times, and go away even more enchanted...

...after the sun sets, and the marvelous clock engages my imagination while I consider just what tent I'll visit next time.

'Imperfect Bliss'

Oh, Jane Austen!  Contemporary authors and filmmakers are having a blast with your delicious stories.

And, dear Jane, yet another has hit store shelves and e-readers, delighting another generation of fans...and bringing them back to your original source.

'Imperfect Bliss', by Susan Fales-Hill, is a delightful retelling of Austen's story, 'Pride and Prejudice'.  Set in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Harold and Forsythia Harcourt, a mixed-race couple, are raising four marriage-eligible daughters.  Forsythia has named her daughters after Windsor royals in hopes that each one would find her own true prince.  But beautiful Diana has entered herself in a new reality tv series, 'The Virgin', and her mother couldn't be happier.  Not only will the show bring the family attention, but Forsythia has her moment to shine.  Recently divorced Elizabeth (a.k.a. Bliss) and her young daughter live with her parents, and Bliss wants no part of the madness as she pursues a PhD.  But when she meets the handsome producer, she is drawn into the romance and drama of the whole event.

Sure, it's 'chick lit', but it's quite charming and literate.  The characters are unforgettable, even when you know how things will turn out.

'Imperfect Bliss' is a sweet distraction from all the weighty tomes that will be heading our way this Fall.

So sit back and enjoy yourself...

...and I'm sure you'll find the original Austen calling your name.

'The Sherlockian'

It never fails...

While picking up a reserved book from the library, I always take the time to check the stacks; see if I've missed something.  A hidden gem, perhaps.

And I usually find one, one that is better than the book I had originally reserved.

'The Sherlockian', by Graham Moore, is my newest 'find'.  I've always been intrigued by the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and now that Sherlock has moved into the 21st century (courtesy of Stephen Moffat, he of the wonderful 'Doctor Who' reboot), I have spent wonderful days rereading the adventures written so many years ago.

When I found 'The Sherlockian' on the shelf, I swear it was calling to me.  The cover art isn't that exceptional.  I had never heard of the author, and I hadn't heard any 'word-of-mouth', the best indication that a story is worth my perusal.  I just found a simple, buff-colored hard cover, beckoning to me with that one word:  Sherlockian.  The power of that simple word was enough to hook me.

The story begins in present day, and Harold White is being inducted into the prestigious Sherlock Holmes society, the Baker Street Irregulars.  A preeminent Holme's scholar claims to have found the missing grail of everything Sherlockian:  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's missing diary.  But before it's discoverer can reveal the diary to the society, he is found murdered in his hotel room.  And the game is afoot...with Harold leading the way.

Then the story takes a turn to the past.  We find that Doyle has killed off Sherlock Holmes, and the public outcry is enormous, some people even labeling Doyle an assassin.  Sir Arthur is tired of the detective, and wants to write something different. But when a tragic, bloody mystery surfaces, Doyle is pulled into it, kicking and screaming.  With the aid of his friend, Bram Stoker, they go about investigating the murder of three young suffragettes.

A treat of mystery, intrigue, and mistaken identities, each chapter switches from present to past, a useful device that kept me on my toes while I tried to solve both mysteries.  The wonderful swirl of both eras converge into a satisfying dénouement.

As Sherlock Holmes said, "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact"

'The Woman Who Died a Lot'

This has been a Summer of sensational stories.  

And now that Jasper Fforde has presented us with his newest book, 'The Woman Who Died a Lot', I can die happy.  Or at least walk into Autumn with a spring in my step.

In one of the most unusual series I have ever read (and come to love), Jasper's literary detective, Thursday Next, is back.  But the years (and various adventures) have caught up with my favorite heroine, and as the story opens, she is in semi-retirement following an assassination attempt ('One of Our Thursdays is Missing').  Not as physically agile as she once was, she can no longer go after the bad guys in her usual way.  But her mind, thank the deity, is still sharp and clever.  Now living with her husband, Landon, and their children, in Swindon, Thursday is offered the job of chief librarian at the Swindon All-You-Can-Eat-at-Fatso's Drink Not Included Library.

But her children are a great part of the story, and their problems are pressing.  Friday, her eldest, is faced with a dilemma that could ruin not only his life, but the entire world.  And Tuesday, her brilliant daughter, is trying to perfect the Anti-Smite shield, a device that will thwart an angry diety's plans to destroy downtown Swindon.

Jack Schitt, Goliath's villain supreme, is back, and interested in worthless 13th century codices.  Speaking of Goliath, it, too, is back with a vengeance and bent on owning the world.  Add synthetic Thursdays, 100 percent library budget cuts, and the problem with Jenny, and you have a wonderful addition to an exceptional series.

Fforde's writing is just as sharp and witty as ever, and his love of books still permeates each chapter.  I'm so very glad to learn more about Friday and Tuesday.  And the bond between Landon and Thursday is as strong as ever.   But I did miss Thursday's adventures in Bookworld.  Perhaps Fforde will return us to that literary land in his eighth book, 'Dark Reading Matter' (publication date not yet established).

If you haven't read this series, by all means, do so!  Begin with the incredible 'The Eyre Affair'.  You won't be sorry.

And as a side note to all librarians, Jasper's dedication will make your heart swell.

'The Woman Who Died a Lot' will be published in October 2012 by Viking Books.

'Truth in Advertising'

Back in the eighties, I watched the film, 'Mr. Mom', starring one of my favorite actors at the time, Michael Keaton.  When Keaton's character loses his job at a car company, his wife takes a job at an advertising firm.  Left at home to care for the house and kids, he grows jealous of his wife's new life of creating successful ads, going on business trips, and 'bringing home the bacon'.  I found it somewhat odd that she had moved up so rapidly at the ad agency; it seemed to be too...easy.


A couple of decades later, the wonderful series, 'Mad Men', appeared, and it is set in the 'swinging sixties', an era of smoking indoors, consuming vast quantities of booze while at work, play, and home, and serious feminist issues.  It's an intriguing show, but I have to admit that I'm in love with Jon Hamm, the star of the series.  Sure, his character is a pig, but he's a hardworking pig.  The viewer is treated to the mean inner workings of an ad agency, and it leaves one exhausted.  But the only reason I'll sit through the Superbowl is to watch the fantastic commercials and applaud the creative teams who come up with such interesting ideas.


When 'Truth in Advertising', the first novel by John Kenney, landed in my lap, I wondered if it would be a gritty exposé of the advertising world.  Upon learning that Kenney had worked as a copywriter for about seventeen years, I decided to give his book a try.  Experience makes all the difference when it comes to writing a story based on an author's former 'day job'.


First of all, I laughed my ass off.  Honestly.  Kenney's main character, Fin Dolan, works for a Madison Avenue ad agency, and his inner voice is sharp, sardonic and downright hilarious.  Not long before the story begins, Fin has cancelled his wedding, and now, a few days before Christmas, he's forced to cancel a vacation in order to come up with a diaper ad which will air during the Superbowl.


But this story isn't all laughs.  Fin grew up in a home with an abusive father, who later abandoned the family.  And now that father is ill and alone.  Despite the fact that he has siblings, Fin is the only one who visits his father, and while doing so, mulls over his past lies and mistakes and the choices he has made. 


Like I said, you'll laugh out loud.  Kenney has a real talent for making his characters come alive, but his true gift is getting to the heart of Fin Dolan; what makes him tick, why he lies.  


'Truth in Advertising' is poignant and moving, wicked and funny.


And that's the truth.


'Truth in Advertising' will be released in early January 2013 by Touchstone Books, a division of Simon & Schuster

'Mean Girls at Work'

When I first entered the workforce many years ago, I was confronted by many women who did not have my best interests at heart.  A few were part of a clique; they would whisper when I walked by, or demean me in snarky tones.  Some were jealous, a few were controlling.  I ran into many gossips, while others took credit for some of my ideas.  Quite a few were 'talkers' (and, sad to say, I'm part of that group).


Sure, it was confusing, but it made me remember my high school years, when I was first exposed to such women.  But in school, as in my work life, I've learned to ignore the taunts and control (but it can be tempting to listen to the gossip, as long as it's not about a coworker).  I've found some very dear friends who not only lifted my spirits, but also gave me a chance to help them shine.


Women are confronted by 'mean girls' in the work world each and every day, and the youngest members are confused about who can and cannot be trusted.  'Mean Girls at Work', the new book by Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster (a book I wish had been around when I first started working), offers a wonderful map that navigates newbies through the tumultuous, yet rewarding, world of the professional work place.  The book is written in a concise manner, and although it appears to be a 'quick read', it contains valuable solutions which will stay with you whether you are new to the work place, or a seasoned veteran.  Both authors know what they're writing about.*


The 'mean girls' described in the book are broken down into sections; 'Meanest of the Mean', 'Very Mean', 'Passively Mean', 'Doesn't Mean to be Mean', etc.  The authors describe particular situations (i.e., the aforementioned cliques) and what not to do in regards to a reaction.  They then offer suggestions as to what to do; one of the best suggestions they offer to dispel anger is exercise, breathing, or any diversion.  By keeping one's mind off the anger, one is able to come up with a logical solution.


Keeping our cool and maintaining a professional attitude is something all of us need to remember.  Of course, that doesn't mean we shouldn't nurture friendships.


We just need to learn how to weed-out the Mean Girls.  And thanks to Katherine and Kathi, it is now that much easier to maintain our professional integrity.

*Katherine Crowley is a Harvard-trained psychotherapist, and Kathi Elster is a management consultant and executive coach.  Together, they run K Squared Enterprises, a training firm that helps clients manage difficult situations in the workplace.  'Mean Girls at Work' will be published by McGraw Hill in November 2012.