Genre: Historical Fiction

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Ronald Balson has an amazing understanding of the events that occurred during WWII, and he is one of the best storytellers among contemporary authors that I have had the good fortune of reading. His latest novel, Eli’s Promise, will grab at your heartstrings and pull you into a world filled with the struggle for survival and the strength of family bonds.

The empathy that Balson makes us feel for protagonist Eli Rosen never lets up, as we follow him from Nazi-occupied Poland to post war Germany and finally to Chicago during the Vietnam War era. While Eli was luckier than most Jews in Poland, his family's construction company kept them out of the camps for most of the war, watching what happened to most of Poland and eventually to Eli’s family was heart wrenching. I especially appreciate Balson’s ability to paint a realistic and terrifying picture of the camps without graphically describing the torture.

The sections of the book that focused on allied occupied Germany and the displaced persons camps was a true education for me. I certainly knew these places existed but didn’t realize how uncomfortable they were. Eli and his son spent time trying to help those with nowhere to turn, but the trading of illegal Visas often seemed the only way out. These people had their lives, but there was little else left from the world they once inhabited.

I also enjoyed the sections that took place in the mid sixties in Chicago. It is so alien to what Eli knows, but he is determined to find the truth as he searches for the wife he was separated from so many years before and tries to make his way among strangers who soon become friends.

Balson is a master at characterization, and the reader enjoys the warm relationships between his characters even as he/she is caught up in their pain. He focuses very little attention on the Nazi’s themselves but rather shows us what horrors these men brought to a people who did them no harm.

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- Beverly

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​Publisher - St. Martin's Press
Date of Publication - ​​September 22, 2020

​Genre:  Historical/Mystery

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When the Past Came Calling by Larry S. Kaplan is one of those books that kept me reading when I should have been doing so many other things. This, his newest novel, features a protagonist that you just want to root for and a plot that is just a little different than most. David Miller is an attorney who gets by but isn’t setting the world on fire, so he was quite happy to take the call from his former debate partner, Michael Eisenberg.

Eisenberg was now the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The two attorneys get together for lunch every few months, but this wasn’t just a chat among friends. The US Attorney is now working with the FBI on a high stakes case. They are investigating the disappearance of a government scientist whose bio-evolutionary research could turn Darwinism on its ear.

Apparently the main suspect has a connection to David’s past, and Eisenberg asks for his assistance. Somehow the assassination of JFK becomes involved when David seeks the help of another friend from his youth, Benny Friedman. Benny strongly believes that Oswald was part of a conspiracy to kill the 35th President of the United States. He also fears that someone is trying to keep him from revealing the truth.

Author Kaplan does a fantastic job weaving his plot lines together to keep the reader guessing what will come next. The addition of a love interest for David is a bit far fetched, since the author has him pining away for a girl he met for several minutes at a party when they were both in their mid-teens. Of course when they reconnect after all of these years, the spark is still there and the reader can join his fantasy of a happily ever after.

There is plenty of paranoia, deception and adventure to keep thriller fans interested, and I am going to search out Larry Kaplan’s first book.

​-Beverly


Publisher - Amazon Digital Services LLC
Date of Publication - ​​​​June 30, 2014

​​Genre: Fiction/Historical

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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

Genre: Historical Thriller

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Lis Wiehl is a federal prosecutor, and her dad was an FBI agent, so she has a strong background to write this compelling story.  Snapshot begins at a peace rally in the '60's where a civil rights leader is assassinated.  Four year old Lisa is attending this rally with her FBI agent father, and is sitting with a young African American girl when the shots ring out.  Her father had just snapped two pictures of the two young girls, and so the story begins.

Years later, Lisa is a federal prosecutor, and her dad, James, now a former agent, contacts her asking for help.  He sends her the two pictures that he took so many years before and tells her that the wrong man has spent years in jail.  His execution is coming up, and James Waldren is determined to find the truth.  He brings Lisa into his investigation which includes searching for the other child in the two photographs.

This is a wonderful story about a tumultuous time that had me engaged from the first chapter.  The author brings in history of the time and takes the reader on a hunt for justice that was often missing in those racially biased years.  Her characters are realistic because she is pulling from a life that she is familiar with, and the story itself was taken from two pictures that her father did send her.

The mystery was a light one that held my attention as did the history of the Kennedy years...always a favorite of mine.  There were a few parts that left me wanting a bit more of an explanation, but on the whole this is a book I am happy to recommend.

- Beverly


​Publisher - Thomas Nelson  
Date of Publication - January 21, 2014

Genre: Historical Novel

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Wikipedia tells us that Bardo according to Tibetan tradition is the state "after death and before one's next birth," which gives us a clue as to the nature of this book, Lincoln in the Bardo.  It is unlike any book I have ever read, and I am writing this review before I am completely finished it, because I am immersed in it at this point.  

Some say Saunders' writing compares with the literary greats.  This is my first introduction to him, and I am captivated.  It is an historical novel, but it is unlike any that I have previously read.  There is an oddness to the style that takes getting used to, but it is worth persevering.  The story centers around the death of Willie Lincoln, the President's son, and I found myself both laughing and tearing up as Saunders tells his story.

While he doesn't dwell on the illness, death and burial, the reader feels the emotions that the Lincolns are experiencing.  The President and his wife are hosting a party while Willie is ill in his bed.  Watching them attend to their guests while running upstairs to check on their son made me realize the responsibility that the President must carry throughout his term.

After the funeral we see that Willie is in this "transitional" place, and we begin meeting the ghostly spirits that fight for his soul.  The characters are interestingly portrayed, and some of their back-stories  were interestingly presented.  Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology came to mind as these ghosts spoke, but Saunders has a style of his own and the comparison falters at times.

He has an interesting way of showing how things are viewed differently by different people, and I found myself thinking of the various interpretations of the news that we have in our  current political climate. I would be curious to share a cup of coffee with Saunders and pick the brain of the man who captured the words of ghosts.

I believe that this book was definitely worth the time it took me to get involved in it and look forward to the author's next endeavor.

- Beverly 

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Publisher - Random House 
Date of Publication - February 14, 2017

Genre: Historical/Non-Fiction

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We can find many books, fictional and historical, that detail the horrors of the holocaust.  Germany has spent many years trying to wipe away the stigma of one of history's darkest moments.  Other European countries played significant roles in Hitler's quest for supreme power, but Switzerland's claim of neutrality never wavered. 
History tells us, however, there is another story.

In 1940, hundreds of Switzerland's leading politicians and businessmen were petitioning the government to show greater sympathy toward the Nazis. They might have wanted to remain neutral in the face of the atrocities committed, but they were anxious to profit from the crime.  In Nazi Gold author Bower tells a story of manipulation used to strip millions of Jewish people of their possessions and how the Swiss profited from every stolen dollar hidden in their banks. Even after the war was lost, these bankers refused to return the funds to the families of the murdered without death certificates that could never be attained.

The author also shows ways that the Swiss actually aided the Nazis with supplies and money while outwardly claiming their neutrality.  His research is evident, and the book is rather dry in parts, but it does tell a story that needs to be told.  He also shares some of the victims' experiences, making the book a bit more personal but that much more difficult to read.   Bower shares the legal battles fought, long after the war ended, trying to make the Swiss own up to their part in the financial raping of millions of people.

It is difficult to recommend this as a "good" book, but it is probably a helpful book to read if you want to get an entire picture of the time.  Bower is obviously not a fan of the Swiss and those feelings probably shaded his research and writing, but much of what he said is factual and leaves little room for his opinion to alter those facts.  I have been reading this book a few sections at a time, and while I still have a few pages to go, I will say it has shown me that there are many ways to be a villain.

- Beverly


Publisher - Open Road Media 
Date of Publication - March 21, 2017

Genre: Historical/Thriller

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I know that I reviewed Balson's second book, Saving Sophie, two weeks ago, but I could not resist Karolina's Twins when it came out two weeks ago.  I was not disappointed. Balson's ability to tell a story is up there with Leon Uris, and his research is impeccable.  This is the second of his books that takes us into the holocaust, and his ability to bring the reader there is actually frightening.

I gave up reading books about that time period many years ago, because they centered on life (and death) in the concentration camps, and the stories seemed to run into each other. Although Auschwitz does make an appearance, Balson's story centers around the life of Lena, a young girl growing up in Poland.

We first meet Lena Woodward when she asks Attorney Catherine and Liam, her investigator husband to help her search for Karolina's twins.  This elegant, elderly woman is desperate to tell her story, and Catherine agrees to listen. Lena begins to tell her story of life in Nazi occupied Poland, and the reader is instantly caught up in life that is too relatable for comfort. Seventeen at the time of the Nazi takeover, Lena watched everybody and everything she loved be taken from her.  The strength that she and her best friend, Karolina,  showed was remarkable as they were faced with one struggle after another. This coming of age tale is unlike any you have ever read.

This is the third in the series for Catherine and Liam, who are now married and expecting a child. When Lena's son tries to take legal control of her finances and move her to a facility for those with dementia, Catherine acts as Lena's attorney.  The court scenes give us a bit of a break in between the chapters that flashback to Lena's past, but the true strength of this book is in Lena's story.

This amazing look into an ugly part of history is beautifully told, and I am anxiously waiting for the next book in Balson's series.

- Beverly


Publisher - St. Martin's Griffin
Date of Publication - September 6, 2016

Genre: Fiction/Historical

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Imagine waking up to a world where everyone you love is gone. Paige Noble is twelve when she awakens in a hospital and finds her parents and brother have been killed.  This book caught my attention immediately and didn't let go.  Paige explains how her dad took an alternate road that fateful day on his way to the Museum of Science and Industry in the Chicago area.  Their world collided with the all too familiar world of gang initiations in the early sixties...killing strangers to gain admittance to a gang...and she was the only survivor. Her description of waking to find everyone gone is heart rending. Her closest living relative, Maxwell Noble, is a photographer who never showed interest in children.

Although a womanizing bachelor  who wasn't close to Paige's family, her Uncle Maxwell agrees to take in his niece and raise her.  As she waits for her uncle to arrive, Paige develops a bond with Gladys, a black nurse's aide who becomes an integral part of her life.  The story moves on and we journey with Paige and Maxwell to Europe, as they search for their past and a lost family member.  The WWII and holocaust history is fascinating, as is the more current descriptions of the Chicago area.

Eisenberg does an excellent job in character development in this book.  Paige's strength is amazing, and I loved watching the relationships develop between characters.  There is more to Gladys than first meets the eye too, and this lends an interesting twist to a story that will definitely catch your heart as you get to know this makeshift family.  

I am trying to write this review without telling the story, because my enjoyment came in pealing the layers one by one.  If you enjoy historical novels, coming of age stories,  mysteries or just great writing, Protecting Paige should be your next read.

- Beverly


Publisher - Studio House Literary
Date of Publication - January 1, 2016

Genre: Memoir

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Gloria Steinem is a writer, lecturer, editor and activist.  She helped pave the way for women of my generation, those of my daughters generation and those of my granddaughters' generation. Not in a small way did she contribute to Hillary Clinton and Carly Fiorina being presidential contenders this year. It was rarely easy, but somehow Gloria's varied fights for the rights of others seemed like something she was destined to do.

Her father was a traveler, and she learned to love the road along with him. The family spent most of the year exploring different parts of the country, and it became a way of life for young Gloria. When she became an adult she continued her nomadic ways both in America and abroad.  She became a political activist and involved herself in advancing the causes of many.  She is best know for her fight for the equality of women and Ms Magazine.

I remember hearing my mother's generation of women speak a bit disdainfully about her at times, and their reactions made me curious.  I ended up researching her years ago and becoming an admirer.  I looked forward to this book and wasn't disappointed.  Ms. Steinem writes with the same humor that has carried her through some trying times.  She peppers the book with some of her philosophies that run close to mine. She explains that instead of two sides, many questions have "three or seven or a dozen" sides, and she seems to try to discover those sides when working with her passions.

She tells a story of coming across a motorcycle "gang" and becoming a bit fearful.  In those days the tattoos and leather jackets signified some rough riders.  While in a diner, a couple from the "gang" came to her table.  They had recognized her and were fans. The woman explained that they had been riding for years.  For most of the time she rode on his machine while clutching his back.  After the kids were grown and gone she decided she wanted her own bike, and bought a purple Harley with Ms. on the license plate.  Now she rides next to her husband instead of behind him.  This led to another bit of Steinem wisdom:
"I've come to believe that, inside, each of us has a purple motorcycle. We have only to discover it---and ride."

I admire the woman, enjoyed the book and have decided to go find my motorcycle.

- Beverly


Publisher - Random House
Date of Publication - October 27, 2015

Genre: Thriller/Historical/Legal

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I do not generally choose to read fictionalized Holocaust-themed books, but this one had enough buzz going on around it that I decided to give it a try.  The first part of the book took place in Treblinka and was quite troubling, but it was not as s graphically written as many before it.  It is the story of a Jewish boy and an army officer whose paths cross in Treblinka and then again many years later.

The first quarter of the book takes us through the thoughts and actions of these two men...Lodzi Ashstein, a Jewish teen who is taken from his home, and Janich Heiss, a member of Hitler's elite, who tortured Lodzi for sport.  The second quarter follows their escape from Germany and the lives that they lived in America.  The second half of the book takes place many years later, and it is where we meet Thaddeus Murfee, a defense attorney living in Chicago.  This is actually the seventh in the Thaddeus Murfee series, and those who follow him will enjoy seeing him in action.

When Thaddeus meets Lodzi, he is drawn to the survivor's story and the reader is lucky enough to watch a well written court case play out.  Ellsworth's characters are always interesting, and I find myself emotionally invested in each part of the story.  There is a sub plot that reintroduces Turquoise, Murfee's adopted daughter who played a big role in a previous book.  Both story lines introduced thought-provoking questions that kept me thinking deep into the night.

Unspeakable Prayers is definitely a worthwhile read.  Its mix of history and current legal cases  is done in a way that keeps the reader engaged throughout.  If you like a book that challenges your ideas of right and wrong than this should definitely make your list.

- Beverly


Publisher - Subjudica House
Date of Publication - January 27, 2015