Two Agatha Raisin Mysteries

Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage, M.C. Beaton, 1996, St. Martin's Press, Genre: Cozy Mystery. 196 pages. Finished 5/29/14.

Agatha Raisin and the Terrible Tourist, M.C. Beaton, 1997 St. Martin's Press, Genre: Cozy Mystery. 182 pages. Finished 5/31/14.

LesOpinion: I'm not above admiring well-written books I don't like for their author's skill or even waxing poetic about genre work that doesn't treat the reader like a complete imbecile, but as much as I wanted to like these Agatha Raisin mysteries, it was too clear that author M.C. Beaton was phoning it in. The characters are flat and unlikeable, their actions and words are disjunctive, and the parts that (I suspect) were meant to be funny are just inane. Spare yourself, Gentle Reader, there are better cozies out there.

Frances and Bernard

Frances and Bernard, Carlene Bauer, 2012, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Genre: Literary Fiction. 193 pages. Finished 5/26/14.

LesOpinion: A lovely little book, written as a series of letters, telling the story of friendship between Frances and Bernard. A meditation on God, art, family, and love. Heartbreaking, elegant. The best book I've read in a long, long time.

The Florabama Ladies' Auxiliary & Sewing Circle

The Florabama Ladies' Auxiliary & Sewing Circle, Lois Battle, 2001, Viking, Genre: Fiction. 358 pages. Finished 5/21/14.

LesOpinion: A small, well-mannered Southern woman's novel that tries to weave in themes of class, race, poverty, gender, and privilege, this book is best at coming up with memorable Southern turns of phrase. It's at its worst when it tries too hard to be quirky (the title is a dead giveaway). Nevertheless, it would be a great read for a day at the beach or a Sunday on the porch.

City of Bohane

City of Bohane, Kevin Barry, 2011, Greywolf Press, Genre: Fiction. 277 pages. Finished 5/12/14.

LesOpinion: An impossibly macho novel set in a dystopian future Ireland, City of Bohane depicts an urban warzone populated by gangs, prostitutes, and drug dealers. Its characters are violent, colorful, and hateful to a one. The only way to make sense of the dense dialect is to read it aloud in your best "magically delicious!" Irish brogue.

The Lace Reader

The Lace Reader, Brunonia Barry, 2009, HarperCollins, Genre: Fiction. Finished 4/28/14.

LesOpinion: Set in contemporary Salem, MA, The Lace Reader is an often lovely novel about abuse, betrayal, and the perils of spirituality. While parts are a bit overdrawn, the characters are well developed and the plot intriguing...though astute readers will have figured out the twist before the end.

Two "Jane Austen" Mysteries

Jane and the Man of the Cloth: Being the Second Jane Austen Mystery, Stephanie Barron, 1997, Bantam Books, Genre: Cozy Mystery. 274 pages. Finished 4/5/14.

Jane and the Genius of the Place: Being the Fourth Jane Austen Mystery, Stephanie Barron, 1999, Bantam Books, Genre: Cozy Mystery. 290 Pages. Finished 4/26/14.

LesOpinion: These cozy mysteries are part of a series purporting to be from the diaries of Jane Austen. The language is stilted, faux early 19th century (which makes reading a bit of a chore), but the plots are filled with the usual bloodless murder, English country estates, and good manners we expect from the genre. If you can't get enough of Jane Austen, these books might be just the thing.