Kym recommends...

I read Maisie Dobbs in one sitting and I remember being so moved by it. It has a little bit of something for everyone. It's part detective novel, part historical drama with a little romance and feminist coming of age thrown in for good measure. I loved the setting, London between the wars, the author Jacqueline Winspear really gets the feeling and the tone of the time. What more can I say - the characters are wonderful, it's an easy read, and best of all it's the first book in a series (there are five more so far - and each one is better than the one before).

I was hooked from the beginning - once the Whitney family were described as "quirky" and five generations of crazy. Towner Whitney, the main character and self-confessed unreliable narrator, is so captivating and I followed her story with amazement. Brunonia captures such a sense of place in Salem, the beautiful old homes and gardens, the wild offshore islands where Towner's mother and aunt live, and the rich history of both sea captains and witchcraft. The ending is an absolute stunner!

Taking place in Jackson, Mississippi in 1962 this story of three women - Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter is powerful and impossible to put down. Skeeter, a white is just back from college and determined to be a writer. She embarks on a clandestine project to interview the black women who raise the white children in town. Aibileen is a black maid, raising her seventeenth white child. Aibileen's best friend, Minny, is the sassiest woman in Mississippi, and goes through jobs like water. Told through each woman's view, you get a picture of how their lives were living so close yet so separate. I loved this book and can't wait for more from this talented author.

Truly Plaice is definitely larger-than-life -- in body and in her personality. Motherless from birth, with a perfect sister, Truly's life is mostly a disaster. Almost like a fairy tale, this book has it all -- giants; wicked (sort of) stepmothers; of course, and magic. How Truly makes sense of her life and finds a place in a world that just doesn't seem to have room for her makes for one splendid book.

I was wondering if Elizabeth Kostova would be able to match the brilliance of The Historian -- I shouldn't have worried. Gifted artist Robert Oliver is arrested after attacking a painting in the National Gallery. Andrew Marlowe is a psychiastrist and amateur artist who tries to help Robert. Focusing on French Impressionism and the inner life of painters, the story unfolds masterfully. Going from America to the coast of Normandy, the late 19th century to the late 20th, this is a book you won't want to put down. It's got mystery, history and an unforgettabel love story. 

Laurel lives a seemingly perfect life in the suburbs with a loving husband, daughter, and beautiful home. Until the night she is summoned by the ghost of Molly Dufresne, who leads her to the backyard where the real Molly has drowned in Laurel’s pool. Laurel reunites with her dramatic sister Thalia, when she asks her to come stay with her and figure out the mystery of Molly's death. I adore Joshilyn’s writing - unforgettable characters, enthralling story and very satisfying ending.