Author: Kate Morton

I like a story that is told in a linear fashion; this wasn’t one of those as it popped back and forth between the early 90’s and the English countryside during the Second World War.

The story was intriguing though with enough mysteries to keep me interested. The answer to “who done it” wasn’t one I could have guessed. I don’t remember the other books by this author having a twist at the end, but it was nice.

Author: Alex Ohlin

This book was on “my list” so I was happy when Kathryn passed it to me on a recent trip, but I was disappointed in the book. The story revolves around Grace, a psychologist, and a few characters that are connected to her. The stories are told in flashes of time, sometimes current but often flashbacks, which I found confusing. To be fair though, I read the book over a long period of time and that may have led to more confusion than was necessary.

Author: Jane Smiley

I interrupted my reading on this one while I was away and then, while I was away, I started and finished another book. I thought it might be difficult to get back into the story, but there aren’t too many characters and I was able to keep the story straight.

Joe is a real estate agent with his own successful business. When I stranger comes to town Joe becomes a willing partner in a large development project. I knew from the beginning that things weren’t going to work out well for Joe.

Author: Jennifer Niven

A note in the cover of the book says Pat and I gave it to Dad for Father’s Day in 2004; I brought it back from Saskatchewan on a recent trip. I read very little non-fiction but I needed a book for the trip home and this fit better in my carry-on bag than some of the others I brought back. I started it on the plane and then couldn’t put it down.

Ada Blackjack was an native woman from Alaska who was persuaded to join an expedition to Wrangle Island in the Arctic Ocean. Stefansson launched two expeditions to the Island; Ada joined the second expedition in 1921 and lived on the island for two years before being rescued. She was the lone survivor of the five member crew.

As well as hearing Ada’s sad story, there was a lot of information about Stefansson and Noice, the man who ran the rescue operation to Wrangle. Each man was out for their own glory and in turn vilified Ada, as well as the members of the crew who were lost on the expedition.

Dad also had (and now I have) a book by the same author that deals with the first Wrangle Island expedition and I’m anxious to read it.