Authors: Jennifer Haigh / John Grisham / Marie Bostwick

Mrs. Kimble

Ken Kimble died alone in his $60,000 car waiting for a drawbridge to be lowered. His driver’s license was new and there were no next-of-kin listed. There was half a million dollars in his bank account. Mr. Kimble left a string of ex-wives, two sons and a daughter. His life is revealed through the eyes of the various Mrs. Kimbles and one of his sons. Mr. Kimble is not a nice man.

Goodreads Rating * * * (I liked it)

The Associate

I hadn’t intended to read a “real” book before my trip but my Kindle was packed and I needed something to read before bed on my last night at home. I finished the book in a day – as with all Grisham novels it wasn’t easy to put it down – but I was disappointed in the ending. Is there a sequel? I need closure.

Kyle is a student, almost ready to take his bar exams. He plans to work in legal aid for a few years before moving on to something more lucrative. But before that can happen an indiscretion from his past makes him a target for blackmail.

Goodreads Rating * * * (I liked it)

The Promise Girls

After a successful book tour by their mother, three young prodigies are appearing on a talk show when the eldest makes a decision that will alter all of their lives. The story picks up again several years after that incident, when the adult girls are moving on with their lives although still damaged by their past. The mother of the girls has secrets that won’t be revealed until near the end of the story but even her past isn’t the only surprise left at the end of the book.

Goodreads Rating * * * (I liked it)

Author: Ami McKay

I loved this book. If you follow CBC Canada Reads, this was a finalist in the Book of a Decade debate. It’s Canadian and it will stay on my bookshelf. The story of the author is almost as interesting as the book. It wasn’t until Ami McKay was pregnant and looking for a midwife that she learned that in the past, her house had been used by a midwife.

Dora lives in the remote Nova Scotia community of Scots Bay, the only daughter in five generations of the Rare family. At a young age she aids the local midwife and soon begins helping at births. When the midwife dies it is Dora that the women of the community come to for help. But a new doctor has come to the area and is encouraging women to give birth at a maternity hospital. The opinions as to which is better, midwife or doctor, splits the community. An early and unhappy marriage inspires Dora to continue her work but when she is accused of murder she leaves Scots Bay for a period of time. Will she return?

Goodreads Rating * * * * * (I recommend you read it; this book will stay on my shelf)

Author: Louise Candlish

Kate is a single mother of two children, but the focus of the book is on her teenaged daughter Roxie. When Kate’s ex-husband is forced to reduce her support payments Kate divides her home and rents out a portion of it to Davis. Kate and her new lodger begin an affair. The details of their story were predictable and I wasn’t surprised by any of the twists the plot takes.

Goodreads Rating * * (It was okay)

Author: Miriam Toews

This novel is based on true cases of Mennonite women in Bolivia being drugged and raped by the men in their community.

In this story the assaults have already taken place. While most of the men are in the City raising bail for the rapists, the women of the community meet to decide what their response to the rapes will be. Will they do nothing? Will the stay and fight? Will they leave? What follows is an in-depth look at the reasons on all sides of the argument.

I liked the book but I wanted to know how things turned out after the decision was made.

Goodreads Rating * * * (I liked it)