What We Are Reading: Many Mysteries This Month

By Nancy K. Crevier

Readers love to share with others the books about which they feel passion. Over the past few months, local book clubs have been sharing what they are reading, what they love or do not love, why certain books stand out for their clubs, and even how the clubs select books.

Each month, comments from various book clubs appear in this column, along with a posting on The Newtown Bee Facebook page. Be sure to join in, and comment on these — and feel free to share what you are reading.

The Non-Fiction Book Club went undercover last month, reported member Dottie Evans.

“The shadowy and sensational world of art theft was laid bare April 5, as the Non-Fiction Book Club read Priceless, a thrilling memoir written by undercover agent Robert Wittman, about his experiences in the FBI’s Art Crime Unit,” she said. “Now retired from service, Mr Wittman pulls no punches while describing how he gained the confidence of art thieves in his guise as a curator seeking to authenticate the works before purchasing them illegally.”

Memorable cases included exposing a notorious Antiques Roadshow scandal, recovering the long lost North Carolina copy of the Bill of Rights, and nearly recapturing 13 famous paintings stolen in 1990 from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Up next for this club is Crazy For The Storm, by Norman Ollestad, an exciting true account of survival and a father’s love for his son. The group will meet to discuss Crazy For The Storm, Tuesday, May 3, at 1 pm, in the third floor Antiques Reading Room of C.H. Booth Library. Copies of the book are available at the Booth Library circulation desk, and all are welcome to join in.

Gordon Williams reported that The Cellinni Society has just finished The Wrecker, by Clive Cussner and Justin Scott.

“It is a page turner,” he said, “set in the railroad building days of the early 20th Century. It has a dashing hero, a fair maiden, and an evil man who keeps wrecking trains in order to eventually win control of the railroad industry in America.” The discussion of The Wrecker was particularly interesting, in that co-author and Newtown resident Justin Scott attended the group’s meeting, as a guest.

“Justin spoke of just how the two collaborated on writing the novel, without meeting each other but once. It was a good book, and a neat evening,” said Mr Williams.

The Mystery Book Group’s April selection is Murder in the Marais, by Cara Black, said member Mary Maki.

“The story is set in Paris in 1993, where young private detective Aimee Leduc is caught up in a murder that involves a neo-Nazi group. Aimee finds herself in the middle of current politics and old war crimes,” she said. With several interesting, interweaving plot lines, The Mystery Book Group looks forward to a spirited discussion when they next meet.

The Mayflower Book Club recently had an entertaining discussion of two murder mysteries, chosen by member Joy Kopesky, said member Liz Arneth.

“Joy thought it would be interesting to choose two mysteries, one written by a man, the other by a woman, in order to compare them,” said Ms Arneth. Friday, The Rabbi Slept Late by Harry Kemelman and Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon were first novels for both authors. Book club members empathized with the rabbi in Mr Kemelman’s book, “whose job entails 24/7 responsibilities for a congregation as well as a family,” she said.

When a young woman is killed and her purse found in the rabbi’s car, the story gets underway. The club found the rabbi’s use of the Talmud to help in the investigation fascinating, and discussed at length the author’s character explaining the differences in the roles of a rabbi, a priest, and a minister to the police detective.

Donna Leon’s book featured character Commissario Guido Brunetti investigating the alleged murder of a famous conductor in Venice.

“It is an homage to the city, as well as an overview of the social mores that exist in the popular tourist attraction,” Ms Arneth said.

The rabbi and commissario are both different than many mystery detectives, whose professional lives turn them into loners with drinking and relationship issues, noted this book club. These characters have supportive home lives. Ms Kopesky created questions to lead the discussion, and ended with this one: Judging by these two novels, can the detective story help the human heart to know itself? The discussion ended with some members heading to the library to check out more novels by these two authors.

Betsy Godin, co-leader of the Newtown Newcomers & Neighbors AM Book Club, said, “We recently read The Wolves of Andover, by Kathleen Kent, a prequel to her first book, The Heretic’s Daughter. You do need to read Daughter first to better understand the prequel.”

The group was split on which of the novels was better. “It was nice to have more background on the characters and their scandals, and it brought us to a discussion about different family relationships and how some can be tense and difficult. We would recommend both books,” she said.

Newtown Newcomers & Neighbors AM Book Club also had a good meeting over the latest book they read.

“In April we read Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay,” said Ms Grodin. “The group really loved this book and would highly recommend it.

“The book tells two stories, one based on a historical event during World War II in July 1942 in Paris, and the other in modern day Paris. It was interesting to see how the main character in each story came into each other’s lives and the effect they had on each other, although they never meet. The story is sad but very moving. We had a very good discussion, especially on how the characters reacted to the traumatic events in their lives.”

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