This was another amazing book by Kristin Harmel. It’s a dual timeline set in the time leading up to WWII and WWII itself in Paris and 2018 in Boston. It explores an intriguing theme of moral ambiguities. What if someone is doing what’s considered immoral but for a good cause? In this book, the main character, Collette’s family is descended from the legendary Robin Hood. They have succeeded in following Robin Hood’s mission from stealing from the rich to give to the poor. At the age of 10, Collette learns the family trade of being a jewel thief. It all seems to go well for her and her mother Annabel until a tragic event that shakes the family to the core during WWII. It was a mission to steal some jewelry back for their Jewish friends who were sent away to the death camp. But, it ends up going horribly wrong and has Collette losing her mother and 4 year old sister, Liliane in one instant. Flash forward to 2018 in Boston and at 89, Collette is still a successful jewel thief, still stealing from evil people with wealth, to benefit the disadvantaged or for a mission to fund a Holocaust education center in Boston. What she didn’t expect was one of the bracelets of the dear friends her family lost in the war on that tragic night to turn up again. The same one her sister had on her person all those years ago when she disappeared. This leads to the mystery of where it came from and the story flashes between two timelines to fill in the gaps of what happened all those years ago. Like many of her other books, this was a quick read. In fact, I finished it in a day. It’s a testament to her engaging characters and compelling storytelling that tugs at your heartstrings. I highly recommend this book.

Imagine being a teenage girl in the late 1960’s, unwed and pregnant. Your family sends you to a home for wayward girls where you are given a different name for anonymity and lied to by the doctor, nurse and governess of the home. Fern, Rose, Zinnia and Holly meet at this home for wayward girls and become caught up with a charismatic librarian who gives Fern a book about witchcraft. The girls pledge their loyalty to the coven and become witches. As their babies are born and the realization of returning to their “normal” lives near, will the girls escape their pledge to the coven? Can the girls just leave the coven and live a normal life? Will they stay in touch? Read and find out.

Flashback, Jill and David’s daughter Sophia goes missing at the park, she is found 40 minutes later, fine, but with bug bites, or are they needle puncture marks in her arm? Blood tests reveal no drugs, no harm done. Or so they think. Then three months later Sophia disappears again. The parents are now suspects. Interesting premise. Kept me guessing as to what happened.

Hidden in the depths of 18th century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women around the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nell who sells well-disguised poisons to women to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary's fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious 12 year old, makes a fatal mistake , sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries. Meanwhile in present day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London 200 years ago, her life collides with the apothecary's in a twist of fate and not everyone will survive.

I don't like rating political books. Nothing in this novel was surprising to me, anyone could see the decline in the President and I think it was more about what people would justify of our leaders to prevent an outcome they didn't want. I read this book because I think it's important to hear from all sides about the truths hidden and manipulated to us from people in power. I also recognize the divisiveness of politics now and I don't want to contribute to that so if this review isn't posted, I completely understand.

I have to be in the right mood for literary fiction, but the audiobook narrator hit this one out of the park. He captured both the dry humor Kenney is known for as well as Bud's emotional growth so fantastically. The book flew by for me with no boring spots, which is a high compliment for literary fiction.

The Frozen River is a historical fiction murder mystery that centers around Martha Ballard ( who actually is a real person, a midwife whose diaries are a rich resource for this novel). A dead person ( villainous) has been discovered in a block of ice and Martha, using her tremendous assets of courage and sense of justice, as she champions women's rights, must discover what happened. Between death, illness, rape, miscarriage and loss of children, these rights were pretty much non existent in 18 th century America.

Enjoyable autobiography.

Lucky for us Bill Clinton the former two term president of the USA continues to write with James Patterson. Former president Clinton brings Patterson to credible writing. If not for Clinton I would not be reading Patterson. The First Gentleman is a must summer read. Fast paced especially the courtroom scenes. A couple of bizarre twists and turns but I didn't care, I figured Patterson wrote them. Looking for the next presidential adventure.

I really enjoyed reading this mystery/ thriller. It was interesting slowly learning the facts about Savvy’s murder through Ben’s podcast. He interviews several people in Lucy and Saavy’s town to find answers to the Whodunnit. I enjoy Lucy’s character and friendship with Saavy