​“It’s very hard to find your own words- and you don’t actually exist until you have your own words.”
—-Jordan Peterson


Words...my ever constant friend and companion...have failed me this month. I have attempted to put my thoughts and feelings on paper, and nothing can come near the true measure of what I feel. Like many Americans, I have spent my life believing that our strength, knowledge and compassion would see us through any real tragedy that we faced. I believed that when faced with a real crisis, we would band together like any real family, and we would defeat the enemy. What do you do though, when your enemy has become entrenched in your family?

Politics and our individual interpretations of events that occur have taken the place of common sense, and until we find a common ground, America will never be the same. When the tragedy of 911 occurred, we forgot about political parties and held each other’s hands through the darkest of times. We stood tall and showed the world that America will not be taken down. We realized that when a true enemy attacks, he/she doesn’t ask your political affiliations, and those affiliations, in fact, mean very little. I was proud to be an American then and thankful for the support of an admiring world.

How did we go from that to this...watching hundreds of thousands people fall ill while we argue about masks. When did we become a country where conspiracy theories are revered rather then ridiculed. When did politics turn from protecting our country to protecting our party? When did compromise become a dirty word that shows weakness? When did getting our own way become the only way?

It is easy to pin the blame on a president who seems more interested in protecting his image than his country, but we are making a big mistake if we stop there. We can possibly blame our president for shining a light on the hatred that is growing, but we would be foolish in believing that he caused it. This hatred was silently brewing there, behind a curtain of fake smiles, and now it has been given a stage. As difficult as that is to watch though, at least we now know what we need to do.

The majority of people in America are humanitarians who want to be there for those who need help. The majority of us see the different shades of our fellow Americans, but we do not evaluate others by the amount of pigment present in their skin or their choice of partner. Unfortunately, it is the very loud minority who are gathering attention with their proudly displayed racism. The rest of us, the silent majority, have to show the world that The United States of America will stand united against hate.

Peaceful protests and well thought out boycotts will prove much stronger than violence, because it will unite everyone who is anxious to do the right thing. I worry, however, that this is not the right time to march in crowds. The difficulty of remaining socially distant under these circumstances makes me look for other ways to make a difference. Ryan Grenoble shared a story with us in Huff Post on 6/25/20 about a way we can make a difference:

“More corporate advertisers are pulling ads from Facebook for the month of July, joining the Stop Hate for Profit boycott organized last week by the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, Color of Change and other civil rights groups. The campaign urges advertisers to “hit pause on hate.”  
The list of participating companies has grown in recent days to include The North Face, Patagonia, Arc’teryx, outdoor retailer REI, Ben & Jerry’s, Eileen Fisher, Eddie Bauer, Magnolia Pictures, Upwork, HigherRing, Dashlane and Talkspace. On Thursday, Verizon (HuffPost’s parent company) also joined the boycott.  
Advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners on Wednesday said it, too, will join the protest, and it encouraged its 45 clients — which include big names such as BMW, Frito-Lay, Hewlett–Packard and PepsiCo — to participate as well.
“For years, we ― and others ― have called on Facebook to change,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told HuffPost of the campaign. “They have not. What matters to Facebook is profits. So if they see what a one-month pause would mean to their bottom line, then maybe they will get the message and act.”

As of today over 100 businesses have joined this movement. Hopefully, this month of lost profits will wake up Mark Zuckerberg, and I hope that you join me in supporting the businesses that are stepping up against hate.

While I have had a difficult time blogging this month, I have read several books that helped me pass the time. David Rosenfelt’s latest offering, Muzzled: An Andy Carpenter Novel, brings Andy Carpenter back for another adventure that will help you escape from your worries for a bit.

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

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 In this time of uncertainty there is one thing I can count on...David Rosenfelt can always “take my sad day and make it better.” His familiar characters are like the friends that you look forward to spending time with, and his story lines draw you in as attorney Andy tries to make the world a little better place for the dogs he comes in contact with and the people who love them.

In fact, Andy is desperate to retire and spend his time rescuing as many dogs as humanly possible, but fate seems to have other plans for him. This time it comes in the form of the stray that his friend Beth found that seems to have been owned by a man who was recently murdered. When the owner shows up to claim his dog he shares a frightening story with Andy. He was on a boat with two other men discussing business when bullets started flying. He escaped and is now a person of interest in the murder of his colleagues.

Of course any man who comes out of hiding to retrieve his dog is worth helping in Andy’s world, and the excitement begins. Rosenfelt’s stories are always character driven and watching Andy and company go from jam to jam is always entertaining. While his bad guys are always bad, they won’t keep you up at night a la Hannibal Lecter, and his good guys will always make you smile.

There is a happily ever after in this book as in all of Rosenfelt’s novels, and this is the perfect time for the reader to get lost in a positive ending.


​-Beverly


​Publisher - Minotaur Books
Date of Publication - July 7, 2020

"Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but wanting to control it"
 - Kahlil Gibran


​Yes, we are still here, and thankfully we are doing fine as we ride out the pandemic in our homes. I just needed a break from my world, and although I didn’t stop reading, I just couldn’t make myself write. It is time to re-join the world though, and I can easily do this from the confines of my home. Hope this finds all of you well and doing what you can to help rid us of this medical mess.

I have spent the last week looking for flour. I kid you not, there is no flour in any stores in my area, and I read yesterday that there is little flour or yeast anywhere in the country. What is wrong with people? Why are they hoarding sacks of flour and yeast? Is it the great bread famine of 2020? For that matter, why in the world are they hoarding anything?

In the worst of shelter-in-place times, we are permitted to go out for groceries. It was advised that we stock up on two week’s worth of food in the advent that we feel too ill to shop, so I bought a few extra cans of tuna, a few cans of beans and a few bags of frozen veggies. I already had two packs of toilet paper, so I passed that by rather than face the screaming throng of shoppers. I actually needed some Clorox Wipes, but they were gone before I could near that aisle.

I would really love to know what is in the minds of these people who are actually adding twice the angst to themselves and everyone else by buying things in bulk. You are causing a shortage of food and necessary supplies where there never had to be one. Health care providers can’t find protective equipment because people are stockpiling dozens of boxes in their closets. Without healthy health care providers none of us stands a chance.

Speaking of chances...stop taking them. Kids...spring break really isn’t worth it. Young people are getting deathly sick from this too. Baby Boomers...you aren’t invincible. Stop getting together with “just a few” friends because you “trust” them. Coronavirus doesn’t bypass trustworthy people. Parents...your children will survive no play dates for a bit (so will you), and your teenagers need to be grounded.

It is frustrating to know that we can lick this if everyone takes the proper precautions, but we have no control, and so it is licking us. Our governor has decided to begin reopening our state even though Florida still has high numbers of cases every day. In fact, some of the North Florida beaches are re-opening . Unfortunately, politics seems to be playing into decisions around the country, and that is never good.

Well, I think I have let off enough steam for one day. The optimistic side of me does believe that this will end, and we will be stronger for it. Our environment will definitely benefit from the break it is getting, and people might come out of it just a little bit kinder after facing our own vulnerabilities. We can’t forget those who lost their lives or those who are faced with long recoveries. We must be generous in thought and deed to those who have lost their jobs and must start over. We must also be generous to ourselves as we venture through the twilight zone that is our current existence. We must take that deep breath and realize that we can not control everything, but we can control our reactions to what happens. It is normal to feel anxious. It is normal to feel unsettled. It is normal not to sleep. This too shall pass.

It is important to stay occupied, and reading is a great way to fill the time at home.  This weeks book, Cheater’s Game by Paul Levine, is just the thing to take your mine off of world wide chaos. Have fun.

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: Legal Thriller

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Truth be told, I have not read every book in Levine’s series featuring attorney Jake Lassiter. I am not sure why, and I just might go back and catch up on those I missed. Jake is an interesting character, and like Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter and Coben’s Myron Bolitar, he surrounds himself with equally interesting people. His fiancé, Melissa, and his nephew, Kip, feature heavily in Cheater’s Game as Jake tries to save Kip from himself.

The plot of this latest book is so timely that it is almost uncomfortable. Twenty year old Kip, who was raised by Jake since Jake's sister deposited the very young child on his doorstep, is exceptionally intelligent and seemingly equally naive. Kip gets involved with a wealthy con man who acts as a mentor and convinces him to join his business. He has Kip help him in conning millions of dollars out of parents who want to insure that their children will be accepted into the finest colleges in the country. In fact, with Kip's expertise in taking the SAT’s, which he does for the clients' sons and daughters, the young people are accepted into the schools of their choice. Everyone is happy...except for the government.

When his “mentor” cuts a deal with the government and throws Kip under the bus, Uncle Jake takes on his most difficult challenge yet. He must convince a jury to find Kip not guilty, even though the government has a rock solid case. Adding to the stress is Jake’s health issues, which cause him migraines, memory lapses and dizzy spells. Jake is suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition that many former football players are dealing with now. Jake, a former Miami Dolphin, is taking part in medical trials headed up by his fiancé.

This “ripped from the headlines” legal thriller is easy to read as a stand alone even though it is the fourteen book of his series.

-Beverly


​Publisher - Herald Square Publishing
Date of Publication - April 20, 2020

“Sing of good things, not bad; Sing of happy, not sad”
—-The Carpenters


This is indeed a scary time. The news is so disturbing that I stopped reading it, and staying in the house except for our twice daily walks is getting old. We can concentrate on the fears and discomfort, or we can look for the several silver linings in this darkest of clouds.

First of all, the environment is getting a much needed break. With most people staying home, there are comparatively few cars on the road. Many businesses have closed their doors or lessened their work force. There is less exhaust spewing into our air, which gives Mother Nature a breather. I read in Time today that “One of the deadliest epidemics in decades has dented energy demand and industrial output in China, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by about 100 million metric tons—close to what Chile emits in a year.” I saw a before/after photo of the Wuhan region and the latter’s lack of air pollution was startling.

Secondly, we are watching companies and individuals take care of each other in remarkable ways. Many restaurants in our area are opening for take-out and delivery only. The staffs come to work every day to cook and deliver to people who can’t or won’t cook for themselves. In return, people are buying gift cards for their neighborhood restaurants so workers will be paid today even if they won’t be used for months.

Comcast is trying to work out a way to give those who can’t afford it free internet for several months, so their children can attend virtual classes. Universal is hoping to put current movies on streaming, so those who can’t go out will be able to watch them. Whole Foods and several other big chain stores are allowing seniors and those who are health compromised to shop before the stores are open to the public.

It is equally heartwarming watching neighbors helping neighbors through this frightening experience. No one seems to care about their neighbor’s political affiliation anymore. People are doing what they can for those around them.  Yes , there are the people who saw this as a business opportunity and bought up all the hand sanitizer, etc, to sell at insane mark-ups, but I have to believe Karma will take care of that. That guy In Kentucky with 18,000 bottles of sanitizer that no one will allow him to sell on the Internet can’t be feeling so smart now.

I am not minimizing this calamity that we are facing economically as well as health wise. I believe that we will probably never be the same after facing this crisis, but I also believe that our very sanity depends on our ability to hang on to the good. It is there if we look for it. Most importantly, we must stay healthy...as a country and as individuals. Please continue your social distancing, hand washing and caring for each other. This too shall pass if we all do our part.

AND READ PEOPLE...READ!

The book I am sharing with you this week is The Big Lie by James Grippando. Grippando has a way of capturing the politics of the day and wrapping it into an exciting legal thriller, and this one definitely fills that bill.

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: Legal Thriller

​Click book cover for Amazon.com

Wow! The Big Lie is so topical it is scary. Criminal attorney Jack Swyteck is asked to represent Charlotte Holmes, gun lobbyist and one of Florida’s 29 electors who is bound by oath and law to cast her vote for President MacLeod, because he won Florida by the thinnest of margins. Once again the country will have a president who did not win the popular vote.

When Charlotte announces that she intends to cast her vote with her conscience and throw the electoral college to Florida Senator Evan Stahl, the president's opponent, President MacLeod, doesn’t take it well. His hand-picked prosecutor intends to prove Charlotte is unfit to cast her vote.

Whenever Jack Swyteck is in the picture, you can be sure that his client will have the best representation possible and that we, the readers, will be reading a story to remember. With help from Theo, his “friend/investigator/former client/bodyguard”, Jack is determined to prove Charlotte fit to cast her vote, even while he is loathe to get involved in politics.

Grippando has been one of my go to authors for many years, and his stories always do seemed “ripped from the headlines.” Although there were one or two slow moments in this book, it was certainly worth reading. For the most part it kept me turning pages and rooting for Charlotte to have the right to represent all of the people of her state.

-Beverly

​
Publisher - Harper
Date of Publication - February 25, 2020

“I hoard books. Books feel like home!”
― Avijeet Das


Well aren’t we in a fine mess? Just when you think things couldn’t get worse...they do. The novel coronavirus is definitely scary, but the media isn’t helping when they continually refer to it as the “deadly coronavirus.” I understand that they are in business to sell their wares...and panic sells...but no one will benefit from world wide panic.

The problem is that most of the information that is being disseminated is far from factual and therefor far from helpful. Today I read one source that told me 88% of people with this virus have a fever. Another source stated that 40% of people with the virus have fever. One source said it lingers on countertops for three days, while yet another said it lingers a full week. I believe that the media is now just quoting random doctors instead of waiting for legitimate experts.

I can’t figure out the hoarding either. Art needed distilled water for his CPAP machine, and we went from one empty shelf to another for days. We finally found the last two bottles in CVS. Why hoard water? Can’t we just turn on the faucet? Don’t even get me started on the toilet paper shortage. Really? Are we expecting a massive case of a stomach virus too, because that is not a major symptom of the coronavirus.

The biggest danger of this virus is our inability to act responsibly as a society. Why do we have to beg people to wash their hands? Weren’t we taught that as kids? Shouldn’t it be a natural instinct? Why is it so difficult to give up social activities. I live in a community where hundreds of women play cards at the clubhouse every Tuesday. One unknowing carrier can spread it through the group. Just Stop! Social activities can resume when this passes.

We can all live a month or two without movies, shows, restaurants and social gatherings. Stay at home. Experiment on new recipes and watch Netflix. If you think you are invincible and panicking is ridiculous, then think of the elderly man or woman you might infect along the way. Act responsibly and there is no need for panic. Controlling the panic might control the destruction that this is doing to our economy. Unless you have stock in Purell, you know what I am talking about. By the way, those of you who have your guest closet stacked with hand sanitizer bottles...Really? You will never use half of them, but those who need them have none.

I do have an idea about what you can hoard though, so you will have an easier time going through these next few months. Books! The first to get might be The Holdout by Graham Moore, the book I reviewed this week. It is a winner.

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: Legal Thriller

Click book cover for Amazon.com

In The Holdout, Graham Moore gives us a legal thriller different than any I have read before, and I hated to turn that last page. Protagonist Maya is part of a jury convened to decide on the guilt or innocence of Bobby Nock, a twenty-five year old teacher accused of murdering Jessica Silver, one of his students. Jessica vanished on her way home from school one day and hasn’t been seen since.

The story alternates between the trial itself and a meeting of the jurors ten years later as they participate in the making of a docuseries about the case. The flashbacks of the trial are told from the viewpoint of each of the jurors as the novel progresses, and when one of the jurors is murdered while making the docuseries, everyone becomes a suspect.

Moore does a masterful job keeping the reader guessing about the original murder as well as the newest one, and each of the jurors pull the reader in with their own life stories told along with their experiences during the trial. When their individual secrets threaten to be revealed during the present day murder investigation, the consequences for all involved could be disastrous.

Moore’s strength in his characterization coupled with his ability to weave together a mesmerizing story make this a book you don’t want to miss.

- Beverly


Publisher - Random House
Date of Publication - February 18, 2020

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
—-Dr. Seuss


Today my gift to you is information. People keep asking me where they can find all the books that I review, and I did some exploring. Of course the new books are in all of your favorite bookstores, but there are so many older books that are not to be missed. Reading can become an expensive hobby, because if you are like me libraries aren’t always the best solution. I tend to collect late fees like teens collect “likes,” so I am always searching for alternatives.

If you google the following sites and register, you will be surprised at the number of books that are offered free or at a very low cost, every day. Enjoy!

BookBub

Book Sends

Robin Reads Team

Freebooksy

Readers Alley

Ereader News Today

Of course I also work with publishers and get current books to review. When I started this blog five years ago, I asked if any of you would like to contribute reviews to this site.  Several people did that for the first year or so, and of course the offer is still up. I will gladly post your reviews, and you will be able to work with some publishers too.  Just drop me a line at madderlyreveiw@gmail.com and I can get you started.  I have loved my relationship with books (and you all) for many years and would enjoy sharing it with you.

The review I will share this week is A Gambler’s Jury by Victor Methos. This book is two years old but definitely worth reading today. Methos has a current book that comes out March 1. I will be reviewing that soon.

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: Legal Thriller

Click book cover for Amazon.com

Victor Methos is an attorney, so it doesn’t surprise me that he can tell the legal stories that he does so well. His frame of reference is his own practice, and his obvious talent with the written word draws his readers into a world in which he is quite familiar. What does surprise me in A Gambler’s Jury is how successful he is in inhabiting the persona of a female protagonist.

Most men who write legal thrillers do so through the voice of male protagonists. Methos introduces us to Attorney Dani Rollins, a woman fighting her own demons as she fights for her clients. His ability to capture her emotions and speak through her voice is a testament to a truly talented author.

Dani’s latest client is a mentally challenged teenage boy who supposedly masterminded a drug deal that was way beyond his abilities. Someone is setting him up, and the system just might be a part of it. With  help from Will, her investigator, Dani does all she can to set Teddy Thorne free from a justice system that is using him to make a point. It is a solid story that keeps the reader rooting for Teddy as the deck is stacked against him.

My only complaint about the book is a general one. Why do authors feel the need to paint all defense attorneys as barely functioning alcoholics? I don’t like to spend a great deal of time around people who are inebriated at parties, so why would I want to spend time with them when I am enjoying a good book? I realize it adds a dimension to a character, but I believe a good author can add a dimension in a more creative way. Methos surely qualifies as a talented author, and I hope he brings a sober Dani back to help fight the bad guys in another book.

- Beverly
​

​​Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - February 27, 2018