"Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future."  
- John F. Kennedy


What exactly is the truth. How important is it to be truthful? I started binge watching 800 Words recently, and the subject of truth came up. In today’s climate, the term truth seems to have a very loose definition. Oxford defines it as “in accordance with fact or reality, accurate or exact, loyal or faithful, honest.”

For most of my lifetime I felt that people were basically honest and the truth was something I could count on. For most of my life I believed that if I told the truth I would be believed and that honesty would eventually carry the day. I am not so sure anymore, just how much honesty matters in a society where power seems to trump all else.

I have spent the week listening to the words of Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford. Both are relating recollections of a happening many years ago. Both are telling their truths. Both were raised in a time when women were likely to say no to certain forms of intimacy, and men were likely to brag about conquests, real or imagined. What was (and should have been) a life altering moment to a fifteen year old girl, might be remembered differently from the perspective of a seventeen year old boy.

That is when our politicians have an opportunity to stand up and make a difference, because their truths can help mold a country in desperate need of reshaping. I accept the fact that in this time of #metoo there might be some women who are stretching the truth, but the huge majority of them are releasing a burden they have carried far too long. Some men, unfortunately are being shamed for a crime they never committed, but a great many of them are being made to face a truth they might not even remember.

When ANY woman accuses ANY man of attempted rape, there must be accountability. To push it under the rug for political expediency is to tell our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters that they are less than the men who surround them. To watch every democrat in Congress immediately believe that Brett Kavanaugh is a molester is ALMOST as alarming as watching nearly every republican congressperson call Christine Blasey Ford a political opportunist. There is nothing fun about what Ms. Ford is going through, and no one would put himself/herself through it for political gain.

Either way, the truth must be discovered before women around the country are made to watch an accused abuser be sworn in to the highest court in our land. The entire process should be stopped, and the truth needs to be clear to us all before Judge Kavanaugh can be sworn in. Mitch McConnell taught us during the Garland insanity that the Supreme Court can run with one less man/woman when those in power deem it necessary.

I understand why the conservative party wants to swear in Kavanaugh as soon as possible, but how can they bend the truth with the same hands that tuck in their daughters at night. To say that Brett Kavanaugh deserves a fair and unbiased hearing goes without saying, but if he is the man that our President believes him to be, than I am sure he will want to wait until his name is cleared before stepping into the job held by so many honorable men/ women before him.

Speaking of truth and the search for it, the book I read/reviewed this week features the ultimate truth seeker. Deck the Hounds: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt has Andy and his team searching for answers to help them prove the innocence of a homeless veteran who is accused of murder. The saddest part of an Andy Carpenter mystery for me is the last page. I know I will miss the gang until the next book in the series is published.

​As always a complete review of this book follows my blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

Click on the book cover to order the title mentioned in today's blog

​​​​Genre: Mystery

​​​​Click book cover for Amazon.com

Don Carrigan, a homeless veteran, is attacked in the middle of the night in this latest Andy Carpenter novel by David Rosenfelt. Deck the Hounds has Andy at his best because naturally, there is a dog involved. When Carrigan is attacked, Zoey, his dog, comes to his defense.   In true Carpenter fashion, Andy and Laurie offer the dog and his “person” a place to stay in the apartment over their garage.

Unfortunately, while giving an interview, Andy mentions Carrigan’s name, which opens a whole new can of worms for the unfortunate veteran. He is quickly arrested for a murder that happened two years before, and Andy just as quickly has another case. Carrigan claims that he is innocent and never knew he was a wanted man.

Andy brings the gang together, and the fun begins...for us at least. I found that this book was a little more substantial than the others as the team tracks down clues in their quest to free a man they believe in. Unfortunately, with his DNA at the crime scene and a witness claiming that he confessed, Andy’s house-guest is in a great deal of trouble.

The reader should quickly figure out that there is some sort of set-up going on and then have fun watching Andy come to the same conclusion. The excitement builds and never disappoints as the humorous interchange between characters keeps the reader entertained. I enjoyed watching Andy grow emotionally, as a father and husband, and hope that there are several more Carpenter books in Rosenfelt’s future.

- Beverly


Publisher - Minotaur Books
Date of Publication - October 16, 2018

​“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.”
—-Mark Black


I have started four blogs this week, and I am sure that I will finish them eventually, but for some reason my mind is a blank. I kept away from the news this week, for the most part. I didn’t even listen to John Oliver or Stephen Colbert. We went out with friends and took several mall walks (trying to beat the Florida heat), and I read a few books to relax me.

I guess I have relaxed too much, because I am having trouble expressing any thoughts worth sharing. Sometimes it is best to follow the old adage...if you don’t have anything nice to say...

So this week I will just wish all of you a good week and leave you with a review written by guest reviewer, Judith. I promise to put pen to paper over the next week, and write reviews on the upcoming David Rosenfelt book and Deborah Hawkins’ latest offering.

Happy Reading,

- Beverly

“A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.”
—-Earl Wilson

I know that September is back-to-school time, and winter season looms ahead. Don’t get me wrong, there is much to look forward to in the next few months. For all the years that I was teaching, my very favorite time was the two weeks we got off during the end of the year. Summer break always seemed a bit too long for me. The week of spring break went by too quickly, but those two winter weeks were glorious.

Living in Florida meant we usually had company, and the kids were always in a good mood. The exchange of gifts and holiday treats were secondary to the time we spent together just having fun. We would explore museums, tromp around the zoo and play a million board games. I miss those days. Thanksgiving is my favorite time now. That week is always filled with the most amazing food of the year. We all cook our specialties and bring them to the Thanksgiving table to share each year. Best of all, it is the one time of the year when all of the kids fly in and our table is complete.

For some reason, I am having trouble getting into the spirit of pumpkins and turkeys and reindeer. Like most of America, our political arena is taking over my thoughts, and I am not handling it well. I am starting to feel a helplessness that is rare for me, and so I am giving myself a one week hiatus from the news, and in that time I will plan some fun vacations. I have been wanting to add some more travel reviews to my blog, and this will give me an opportunity to work towards that end.

The first vacation blog will be in October, after our trip to Savannah, Georgia and St. Augustine, Florida. Savannah has always been my feel good place. It is a walking town, and the people are delightfully southern. The food is good, and I plan to pig out on southern delicacies. 

We have been discussing next summer’s vacation, and Vermont/Montreal seems to be topping Art’s list of possibilities. Vermont is the one New England state that we never visited, and the covered bridges and waterfalls do sound inviting. Then again Montreal is one of our favorite Canadian cities (second only to wonderful Vancouver), and we haven’t been there in quite some time.

Visiting Jonathan and Nick in Cleveland is a possibility. We have never been, and it is supposed to be a real up and coming city. New Orleans is another place that I have always wanted to see, but I don’t think that summer is the best of times in the bayou. Las Vegas with a detour to the Grand Canyon is a strong possibility. Everyone tells me that Las Vegas is a must see place.

2020 is the year of our big vacation. I have been to France, Italy and The Netherlands, but I have never seen England, Ireland and Scotland. We have been talking about possibly putting together a trip to include highlights from those countries. Of course Switzerland and Northern Italy sounds pretty tempting too, but we have plenty of time to plan our next European adventure.

See that...I am smiling just thinking of traveling over the next few years. If any of you have any suggestions of vacation spots that should not be missed, please respond in my comment column or drop me a note. If you have any “don’t miss” restaurants or tourist spots in the places I mentioned, please let me know about those too. I promise to give you all hotel, restaurant and touristy info as soon as my trips are completed.

This week I read/reviewed a book that was too close to local news to be comfortable.
School Days: A Spenser Novel by Robert B. Parker has PI Spenser working to dig out the truth behind a school shooting. Parker does an excellent job leading his wise cracking PI through a very sensitive subject. Definitely an oldie but goodie read.

As always a complete review of this book follows my blog.

Happy reading,

- Beverly

​Click on the book cover to order the title mentioned in today's blog

​​​​Genre: Mystery

​​​​Click book cover for Amazon.com

This is only the second Spenser book that I have read, and I am not sure why. Parker’s hero is similar to Coben’s Myron Bolitar and Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter, and if you follow my reviews you know those two write my favorite escapism fiction. PI Spenser has a similar sense of humor, and Parker does an excellent job keeping us in suspense between the chuckles.

In School Days: A Spenser Novel the story centers around a school shooting and a young boy who confesses to it. His grandmother hires Spenser to prove his innocence, even though his alleged accomplice fingered him and he admitted it, and Spenser takes the case. Interestingly enough, other than Grandmother Ellsworth, Spenser is the only one interested in finding out all of the details. School officials, the defendant’s parents, even the local police want this case wrapped in a bow and put away quickly.

Parker does a good job with a very sensitive subject in his thirty-third book in this series. School shootings have been in the news all too often since the attack in Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Several authors have written fictional accounts of school shootings, but Parker’s original twist makes this one stand out.

I did miss some of the strong supporting characters that populate Rosenfelt’s and Coben’s books though, and I kept searching for Hawk, Spenser’s sidekick who I remembered from the previous novel I read. Even his girlfriend Susan was out of town during this adventure, and Spenser was pretty much on his own.

All in all this was a well written mystery that convinced me to search out the thirty-one books in this series that I have missed.

-Beverly


Publisher - G.P. Putnam's Sons
Date of Publication - ​​​​September 27, 2005

“John understood that part of what makes our country great is that our membership is based not on our bloodline, not on what we look like . . . but on our adherence to a common creed that all of us are created equal, endowed by our Creator certain unalienable rights.”
—-Barack Obama (eulogizing John McCain)


I know I spoke of McCain last week, but I think this is worth a bit more discussion. I have spent my entire life trying to figure out why people are judged by what they look like or who they love. It is not that I believe that every person is born with the same potential. For whatever reason, some are born with a higher intelligence level, some have more innate singing talent, and some can run circles around me in a mathematics challenge.

I have taught young people who seem innately evil and some whose kind ways shine like a beacon that leads them. I have taught those who were obvious overachievers, and those who let their talents fall by the wayside. I have taught those with strong, supportive families who have ended up in prison and those latchkey kids who have ended up in positions of high standing in their communities.

I have seen students who thoughtlessly bullied others to the point of suicide, and I have watched others become victims of this type of destruction. I have read of people who jumped in front of a bullet to save a stranger and those who delivered the bullet that killed a friend.

One thing stood out to me throughout my life of observations. People of every race, religion, nationality, sex and sexual preference fit into every one of those categories.
African Americans aren’t more violent, Hispanics aren’t all illegal immigrants, Asians aren’t all mathematicians, gay people aren’t all trying to convert straight people, and caucasians aren’t all more deserving of what our country offers. Each group of people is represented by the good and bad that humanity has to offer.

Why then do some people display hostility to those who look, act or think differently? I believe fear plays a big role in biased behavior. We tend to fear the unknown, and there are people who use their power to manipulate those fears into crowd mentality hatred. It is natural to try to find someone or something to blame for a tragedy or hardship we might encounter. If we can point the finger elsewhere, we remove the blame from our own shoulders.

It is also easier to believe all people of a certain group are the same, than to take the time to recognize the difference. Just because we find that one immigrant was responsible for a heinous crime, that doesn’t mean that they all should be feared, any more than all chefs should be boycotted because Mario Batali acted inappropriately.

We are all born with different potential, to different families and in different environments. We learn differently, look differently and react differently. One thing should remain consistent in our country though, and that is indeed that all of us are created equally and are promised certain unalienable rights. The best way to ensure that all people are afforded those rights, is for each of us to accept and act upon that belief, and that we make sure that we elect representatives who will protect us all equally.

No one does a better job displaying what can happen when these rights are trampled upon than Ronald Balson in his books that take the reader into World War II Germany. In his latest book, The Girl From Berlin, Balson once again captures the horrors of that time without depicting gruesome concentration camp scenes. This book should definitely have a place on your bookshelf.

As always, a complete review of this book follows my blog.

Happy reading,

-Beverly

Click on the book cover to order the title mentioned in today's blog

​​Genre: Fiction/Historical

​​Click book cover for Amazon.com

There are few authors who draw me in as completely as Ronald Balson. I anxiously await his latest novels and feel sad when the last page is finished. His main characters, attorney Catherine Lockhart and investigator Liam Taggart are interesting enough to hold our attention through the series, but his secondary protagonists in each book are the ones that bring out emotions I didn’t know I had.

Three of his previous books took place in and around the holocaust, and The Girl From Berlin is no exception. Catherine and Liam are hired to try to prevent the eviction of their friend’s aunt Gabi from her small farm/vineyard in the Tuscan hills. A powerful corporation claims that they own the deeds even though she has her own set of deeds for the land.

Gabi sends Catherine a translated copy of a journal written by Ada Baumgarten, who was born in Berlin in 1918. Ada was the daughter of an accomplished first-chair violinist in the prestigious Berlin Philharmonic, and she herself became a prodigy. Flashbacks begin during her years enjoying Berlin’s rich culture as a small child, and go on through the years of Hitler’s Germany. We follow her escape to Italy and subsequent dealings with the Nazi’s there. We follow her career, her family and friends, and her forbidden romance, as everything is taken from the Jewish people during those years.

I often have trouble reading stories centering around this time period, but Balson’s books are different. He doesn’t try to hide the horrors, but he concentrates more on the bravery of his characters and the lives that they live. The actual concentration camp scenes are scarce and less graphic then many others I have read, but the message is no less powerful. 

When the readers’ emotions reach a breaking point dealing with Ada, Balson brings us back to 2018 and the legal case that our protagonists are fighting to win in Italy.  I spent a good deal of the book trying to figure out how Gabi came to be in possession of Ada’s manuscript, and the answer didn’t disappoint me.

Balson’s descriptions of a collapsing Germany and the beautiful hillsides of Tuscany add a depth to the book and lead me to highly recommend it for your collection.

-Beverly


Publisher - St. Martin’s Press
Date of Publication - ​​​October 9, 2018