Front Page Murder - A Review

 

Front Page Murder

by

Joyce St. Anthony

A Review

The United States had just committed itself to fighting Germany and Japan in WW II; the Duquesne Spy Ring had been captured, tried, and convicted. At the same time men were joining the war effort leaving women to work the factories and edit the local papers. It was true not only in the big cities, but in the small towns as well. Progress PA was no exception. Irene Ingram had assumed the position of Editor at the Progress Herald when her father departed as a war correspondent in the Pacific Front. Women were filling positions on all 22 lines at Tabor Ironworks.

But when reporter Moe Bauer was found dead, small-town Progress was shaken to the core. The police chief, Irene’s future father-in-law, was convinced it was an accident. Irene was not so sure. When more “accidents” occurred at the Tabor Ironworks’ plant, additional questions were raised. Irene and her staff of reporters would need to dig for the details as they began to report on the changes around town.

The resulting story, though fiction, gave this reader the opportunity to learn a bit about the history of America’s involvement in WW II - both at home and abroad. It provided an intriguing plot that made the reader guess who was fighting for and fighting against American interests. Each chapter begins with a headline from the news - some from history, some from the book itself. If I had any concerns about the book, it was its tendency to weave these stories into the text and then repeat them as a headline at the beginning of the next chapter. But even with that question, I give the book five-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Cryptographer's Dilemma - A Review

 

The Cryptographer's
Dilemma   

by

Johnnie Alexander

A Review

Barbour Publishing presents another book in its series of mysteries based on true events that can be further researched on-line or using the references mentioned in the epilogue. . This plot surrounds a Doll Collector whose Boston store served as the focal point for a spy that sought to provide Japan critical information following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

The story centers on one of the Code Girls, whose primary task was to decrypt messages intercepted from the German and Japanese. Eloise Marshall was “drafted” by the FBI to work alongside Phillip Clayton, a colorblind FBI agent who was not qualified to serve in the Air Corp. Together they were assigned the job of identifying the source of several letters that alluded to troop movements within the US Armed Services. The work would take them across the country - from Washington DC to Seattle WA and several places in between.

This reader was intrigued - not only by the story, but by the events that served as the catalyst for the book. More than once on-line sources were consulted providing more depth to the story as additional details of this WWII traitor were revealed. The author has provided an attention-keeping story rooted in history. I give the book five stars.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Treacherous Legacy - A Review

 

Treacherous Legacy

by

Kathi Oram Peterson

A Review

Ms. Peterson has created historical fiction at its best. With roots in the middle of WW II, Treacherous Legacy explores the life of two people who seek to discover the true story behind a man who had long been labeled a German spy. The story takes them from Iceland to Denmark and back to Iceland - including opportunities to meet the Queen of Denmark in her palace and to visit the relatively famous Hallgrimskirkja Church in Reykjavík, Iceland. The story is both tense and sad at times, but was well worth the time I spent reading it.

At times the writing seemed a bit awkward - as if written by an inexperienced writer writing in the first person. That was balanced by three characteristics that made the book stand out.

First was the inclusion of historical and geographical references that forced me to turn to Google for additional information - a feature that I appreciate when reading historical fiction.

The second characteristic that I appreciated was the use of brief Icelandic, German, and Danish, phrases by the story’s characters. These were easily translated using Kindle’s built-in translator. I discovered that the author had also included interpretations for many (all?) of these in the back of the book, though I did not discover this until I finished reading the book. It might have been more useful to include this “dictionary” near the front allowing the reader to use it as the book is being read.

Finally, the book includes a three-page essay in which she discusses the historicity of the book. She discusses a wide range of topics including the use of wireless technology by the Danish Resistance during WW II and the presence of eighty-nine-year-old women who are actively going to sea and traveling between Iceland and Denmark even today. Not only is each question clearly answered with a “yes” or “no”, but she also includes sources for her conclusions. This final essay is interesting in its own right.

I give the book 4-½ stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

The Maggie Bright - A Review

The Maggie Bright

by

Tracy Groot

A Review

Nahum 2:1-2 (RSV)

The shatterer has come up against you.

Man the ramparts;

watch the road;

gird your loins;

collect all your strength.

The Maggie Bright tells a story, but that story is fiction. On the other hand, its setting is far bigger, far more important, than the story itself. As I read, I was forced to review the beginning of England’s posture in WW II - a war that seemed almost over before it began.

More would follow as America eventually joined the war, but for now England had to save itself. It was not the British Navy or the British Army that would do that job - but the people of Britain itself.

The book presents a picture of war and a picture of humanity. It is both ugly and beautiful at the same time. History unfolds around a small boat - a craft designed to hold 12 vacationers, but destined to save nearly a 100 men on those fateful days at Dunkirk.

For those who are fans of World War II, those who enjoy the heroism of men who were not born to be heroes, and for those who believe in the power of prayer, this book belongs to them. My first thought when I saw the book was, “This is better suited for my wife.”  When I read the description I was convinced that I would not like this book - I do not like war stories. But my head and my heart were drawn into the story - with tears in my eyes as I came to its end. Not all my questions were answered - but that was okay. The book was satisfying in ways I did not expect. I was forced to review my history as the book unfolded. An operation of common sailors that was expected to save 30,000 - 45,000 men would save 340,000. Another 40,000 were left behind to surrender to the Germans, to be set free only at the end of the war.

The book is a story of a boat, of a war, and of humanity, and the price they paid for the freedom we have even today.

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.

The Missing Matisse - A Review

A Memoir

The Missing Matisse

by

Pierre H. Matisse

A Review

It appears that I am in the minority, but frankly I found this book to be disappointing. The description, the front cover, and the subject set me up for a boy and man who had survived the dangers of World War II France. Coming from a famous family, Pierre Matisse had gotten lost in the midst of history’s most famous war. This is the story of how he found himself again.

I was all set for an exciting true story; yet, I found the book to be boring. I could not get caught up in it. I would put it down for a week, hoping that my attitude would change when I again picked up the book. It did not. The sketches by the young Matisse at the beginning of each chapter did add some value to the book, but not enough for this reader.

Though I was not enticed by this author’s memoir, perhaps a WW II history buff may be as he or she connects the story of a real family with the events surrounding the allied invasion of France and the attempts of a nation to save itself. It did not work for me.   

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.