Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

It didn’t take me long to read this one – but then I spent a day on (or waiting for) the ferries and a day recuperating from my travels. The fact that is was due at the library in just a few days spurred me on as well.

Korobi (meaning oleander) has been raised by her grandparents in their ancestral home in Kolkata. Her mother died when Korobi was born and she never knew her father. Korobi is about to marry a young man from a wealthy family when her grandfather suddenly dies. With his absence, secrets concerning the death of her mother begin to emerge, as well as new information about her father. Korobi travels to America to search for him. Will she find him? Will she be seduced by the freedom she finds in America? Or will she return to the life that was planned for her.

Goodreads Rating * * * * (I recommend it)

Author: Ann Cleeves

The gang are all back in this Vera novel – Vera, Joe, Charlie and Holly.

If you’ve read any of the Vera novels you will be surprised that, while exercising at the pool, Vera finds a dead woman in the steam room. Clues are hard to find, but there are a list of characters that might be suspects. I had my suspicions, but I never would have guessed who the murderer was.

Goodreads Rating * * * * (I recommend it)

Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

This book came from my Goodreads list but I have no idea who recommended it. I picked this book as well as another book by the author on a recent trip to the library.

The premise is the story of nine people trapped in a government office after an earthquake. To keep their minds off their life-and-death situation they each tell a story of “one amazing thing” from their lives.

It took me a long time to get through this short book, but that was only because I was busy doing other things. Otherwise I could probably have finished it in a couple of days; when I did get a chance to read I didn’t want to put it down.

Author: Meg Wolitzer

I have to say I liked The Wife (#1) much better than this version. The story, although a novel, is told as a memoir of the wife of a well-know writer. We see all the things she gave up in order to support her husband’s career. There was one surprise but I had figured it out before we got there. I can certainly see Glenn Close in the central role of this one.

Goodreads Rating * * * (I liked it)