I'm a huge fan of the Flavia deLuce mystery series by Canadian author Alan Bradley. At the
end of the fifth book in the series, Speaking from Among the Bones, there was a major cliffhanger, and I could not wait until the next book appeared.
Several months ago while browsing NetGalley, I saw that I could request the advanced ebook of The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches. I did so, and quickly downloaded it. When I downloaded it there was a note that reviews could not be published until closer to the release date, so I'm just now writing the review, but actually read the book several months ago. I was afraid that I might forget key elements, but I have to say that this is a book that's sticking with me.
Often in a long-running mystery series the author starts to run out of steam. At the end of the 5th book I was a bit concerned that this might be the case, but I was pleased to find that this is not so.
I don't want to give too much away for those who read the previous book and are eagerly anticipating the resolution of the cliffhanger, so I'll try to be careful. The story starts with the entire deLuce family at the train station waiting for the return of Harriet, Flavia's mother who disappeared when Flavia was a baby.
At the station a stranger gives Flavia a cryptic message, then is immediately killed by an oncoming train. Long-lost relatives with secrets also make an appearance. Flavia discovers a home movie that may provide clues to these events, as well as answer some questions about Harriet and her family. Flavia's Aunt Felicity is also on hand to fill in some parts of the family story.
By the end of the novel, Flavia is ready to face a brand-new adventure, and I look forward to joining her. Bradley has taken a series that was starting to become a bit stale and reinvigorated it by resolving many questions and taking it in a different direction. I wish that more mystery series writers would take this approach.
As the mother of a 28 year-old son, I've heard my share of rap music.
Mostly when he was in
high school and I was driving him back and forth to his various activities. I'm not a huge fan, and I especially have issues with the misogynistic aspects of the medium.
Now that I'm stalking following him on Facebook, I'm still aware of where his musical tastes lie, and from time to time he made mention of a rapper named Mac Lethal,a white rapper from the Kansas City area.
One day while browsing the new ebooks for review on NetGalley, I saw that Mac had a new book coming out, and I decided that I had to read it.
Texts from Bennett is the story of Mac, and how he opened his home to his opiate-addicted aunt Lillian, her conspiracy theorist boyfriend Tim, and her 17 year-old gangsta son, Bennett, who claims to be 13% black (he's not).
The story unfolds through Mac's narration, interspersed with texts between Mac and Bennett. As might be expected, the arrival of his family causes no small amount of disruption in Mac's life, especially in his relationship with new girlfriend Harper. But Mac begins to see another side of his family, and when he learns more about his Aunt Lillian's (and his own mother's) dysfunctional family he begins to appreciate them more.
There's a lot of really offensive language in Texts from Bennett, as well as a lot of drug use. But if you can get past that, it's really a good story. Mac learns to see another side of Bennett, and both Mac and Bennett grow from the experience of spending time together. So while I don't think any friends my age would enjoy reading Texts from Bennett, I think young adults who share my son's enthusiasm for hip-hop culture would like this book.
