SEPTEMBER 2019

Dear Book Lovers,

We met last Thursday night at Jo Ann Abegglen's home and had a wonderful time sharing the latest books we have read and enjoyed some delicious cheesecake with fresh fruit, nuts and lemonade. It was cozy and delightful.  Here are the books:

JO ANN ABEGGLEN

1. THE FLIGHT GIRLS. By Noelle Salazar
Audrey Coltrane has always wanted to fly.  It is why she had her father teach her at the little airport in Texas. It is why she signed up to train military pilots in Hawaii when the war in Europe began. She meets a young Lieutenant James Hart whose a treasured friend. After Pearl Harbor
Audrey joins the Women Air Force Service Pilots program. The bonds she forms with her fellow pilots reignites a spark of hope in the face of war. When James goes missing in Europe Audrey musters the strength to cross the front lines and fight for everything she holds dear..
A 4 star

THE BOOK CHARMER  by( Karen Hawkins)

This is the story of a sleepy Southern town, two fiercely independent women and a magical friendship. Sarah Dove is no ordinary bookworm. To her books have always been more than just objects: they live, they breathe and sometimes they even speak!
4 stars

SUE DE MARTINI

DANDELION SUMMER by Laura Wingate - I would give this 4 stars

EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE (First Loves and Last Tales) a memoir by Oliver Sacks - neurologist

GERI CHRISTENSEN

THE SHELL SEEKERS by Rosamunde Pilcher

One of my all-time favorite books. This is a re-read for me, but it was still charming, captivating and deeply satisfying as it recalls the life and loves of Penelope Keeling from the early days during World War II up until the end of her life. I would give it 5 stars.

DUMB WITNESS by Agatha Christie

This is a fun mystery with Bob the wire-haired terrier as the main character in the story. His trick of pushing his ball down the stairs and then running down to catch it gets him in hot water as the main suspect in a murder, but with Poirot on the trail, the real killer is found and Bob is exonerated in the end. 4 Stars

ON DANGEROUS GROUND by Jack Higgins

This is another installment of the Sean Dillon series and this one takes place mainly in Scotland as Sean chases an American mob boss and his entourage and finally out-smarts  (and out-guns them) while saving England from certain disaster should a certain document signed in China at the end of World War II comes to light.  3.5 stars.

THE CAT WHO ATE DANISH MODERN by Lillian Jackson Braun

This is one of the earliest books written in "The Cat Who..." series by this author. The main character is Koko, a Siamese cat with special powers of criminal detection who helps Jim Qwilleran, the most eligible bachelor in town, to solve the murder of not one but two people.  These books are always delightful to read and each one has a side-story about a specialized craft or hobby such as book-binding, weaving, pottery, jewelry-making, etc. The author is a journalist by profession so her books are well-crafted and easy to read. 4 Stars.