The Transcendental Murder (Homer Kelly #1) by Jane Langton

The Transcendental Murder (Homer Helly #1) by Jane Langton
Publisher/Year: Mysterious Press, 1964
Format: E-book (Libby)
Pages: 358
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

In Concord, Massachusetts, the discovery of century-old love letters leads to murder–from “today’s best American mystery writer” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

The citizens of Concord, Massachusetts, never tire of their heritage. For decades, the intellectuals of this little hamlet have continued endless debates about Concord’s favorite sons: Emerson, Hawthorne, Thoreau, and their contemporaries. Concord’s latter-day transcendental scholars are a strange bunch, but none is more peculiar than Homer Kelly, an expert on Emerson and on homicide. An old-fashioned murder is about to put both skills to the test.

At a meeting of the town’s intellectuals, Ernest Goss produces a cache of saucy love letters written by the men and women of the transcendentalist sect. Although Homer chortles at the idea that Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson might have had a fling, Goss insists the letters are real. He never gets a chance to prove it. Soon after he is found killed by a musket ball. The past may not be dead, but Goss certainly is.

What I thought

I was absolutely charmed by this mystery! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this up, but I ended up immensely enjoying this. I loved the portrayal of Concord, and I adored this cast of characters. I actually feel a bit sad to be finished–that’s how fond I feel of this town & its quirky residents.

This book isn’t perfect, by any means. There are a couple of minor plot holes, and there were a few times when Mary would get lost in a daydream that felt out of place. Other than that, I probably would have given this 5 stars.

I just really enjoyed this. It was written in a way that’s perfect for slowing down & cozying up with a good story. The mystery kept me guessing, and I’m glad to report that I didn’t figure it out. And even though having a bit of knowledge about the Transcendentalists (think Thoreau, Emerson, Alcott, Dickinson) added to my enjoyment of this, I wouldn’t say it’s necessary.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and charmed by this. It’s a little dated, but that actually kind of added to the charm for me. I would love to continue reading this series!

Gettysburg 1863: Campaign of Endless Echoes by Richard Wheeler

Gettysburg 1863: Campaign of Endless Echoes by Richard Wheeler
Publisher/Year: Plume, 1999
Format: Paperback
Pages: 302
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

It was a campaign waged from generals’ tents and presidential mansion–a battle fought by soldiers and civilians alike. Drawing on a lifetime of knowledge, Richard Wheeler, award-winning author of Witness to Gettysburg and Voices of the Civil War, combines authoritative research and authentic personal history to re-create the most pivotal episode of the Civil War.

Gettysburg 1863 follows General Robert E. Lee from the marshaling of his Confederate army in Virginia to his desperate last attempt against Union forces on Cemetery Ridge–the doomed and bloody Pickett’s Charge that gave the North a victory it scarcely knew it had won. It brings to life the ordinary men and women who played their part in turning the tide, from a seventy-year-old cobbler who put on his finest clothes and joined the defending Unionists to a wife who, disguised as a man, fell in battle beside her Confederate soldier husband. And there are the noncombatant citizens: the black Gettysburg residents in flight or in hiding, terrified of being captured into slavery; the woman killed by a stray bullet in her own kitchen–the battle’s only civilian fatality.

Illustrated with over a dozen maps and more than one hundred portraits and rare line drawings, Gettysburg 1863 offers a fresh and exciting look at one of the most significant events in American history.

What I thought

My first non-fiction read of 2021! And I really enjoyed it. As someone who has read extensively on this battle before, I didn’t learn anything new, but I did appreciate the narrative feel to this book. It made for easy reading, and I didn’t have to struggle with any dry, textbook style writing. And even though I might not have learned anything new, exactly, there were a number of interesting, moving, and even some funny anecdotes I hadn’t heard before. My sole complaint was that this desperately needed more and/or better maps of the actual battle. Other than that, I think this would make for an excellent read for a beginner to the Gettysburg campaign, and I think this holds value as a quick refresher for the more seasoned historian.

She Be Damned (Heloise Chancey Mysteries #1) by M. J. Tjia

She Be Damned (Heloise Chancey Mysteries #1) by M. J. Tjia
Publisher/Year: Legend Press, Ltd., 2017
Format: E-book (Hoopla)
Pages: 223
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

London, 1863: prostitutes in the Waterloo area are turning up dead, their sexual organs mutilated and removed. When another girl goes missing, fears grow that the killer may have claimed their latest victim.

The police are at a loss and so it falls to courtesan and professional detective, Heloise Chancey, to investigate.

With the assistance of her trusty Chinese maid, Amah Li Leen, Heloise inches closer to the truth. But when Amah is implicated in the brutal plot, Heloise must reconsider who she can trust, before the killer strikes again.

What I thought

I loved this book, everything about it. I’m actually feeling sad to have finished it, but then I remember it’s part of a series–yay! I simply haven’t had enough of Heloise Chancey.

So where to begin? Let’s talk setting first. M. J. Tjia absolutely brought Victorian London to life, seedy parts and all. Between the description of her surroundings and the variety of true-to-life characters we meet, I loved the feeling of authenticity and of being transported somewhere while I read.

As for the crime-solving, murder mystery aspect–folks, this story was gruesome. In lieu of listing every trigger warning in the books, let me simply advise you to tread lightly here. There were parts that were extremely difficult for even me to read, and that’s saying something. As for the mystery, although the reveal did feel slightly abrupt, it was no less horrifying. And kudos to the author–I never saw it coming.

My favorite part of this book, hands down, was Heloise. She was strong, independent, and witty. She was confident, almost to the point of being arrogant, and she embraced (and was proud of) her sexuality and her femininity. And of course I loved her feminist attitude. I couldn’t help but rage with her over the plight of sex workers, and women in general, of the time. For as gruesome and disheartening as this story could be, I couldn’t help but admire Heloise because she was also funny and raunchy and sexy and lively and kind. She was the kind of character who felt like a friend.

Despite all of my rambling, suffice it to say–I loved this book and truly can’t wait to read the next one. This book was so much more than the run-of-the-mill cozy mystery I was expecting. As I mentioned, this book won’t be for everyone–you can feel free to message me with any questions. But if you’re comfortable, I wholeheartedly think you should give it a try. I promise: you haven’t met a character before quite like Heloise!

Winter’s Tales by Isak Dinesen

Winter’s Tales by Isak Dinesen
Publisher/Year: Vintage, 2011
Format: E-book (Libby)
Pages: 400
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

In Isak Dinesen’s universe, the magical enchantment of the fairy tale and the moral resonance of myth coexist with an unflinching grasp of the most obscure human strengths and weaknesses. A despairing author abandons his wife, but in the course of a long night’s wandering, he learns love’s true value and returns to her, only to find her a different woman than the one he left. A landowner, seeking to prove a principle, inadvertently exposes the ferocity of a mother’s love. A wealthy young traveler melts the hauteur of a lovely woman by masquerading as her aged and loyal servant.

Shimmering and haunting, Dinesen’s Winter’s Tales transport us, through their author’s deft guidance of our desire to imagine, to the mysterious place where all stories are born.

What I thought

• “The Young Man With The Carnation” ⭐⭐
• “Sorrow-Acre” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• “The Heroine” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• “The Sailor-Boy’s Tale” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• “The Pearls” ⭐⭐⭐
• “The Invincible Slave-Owners” ⭐⭐
• “The Dreaming Child” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• “Alkmene” ⭐⭐⭐
• “The Fish” ⭐⭐⭐
• “Peter and Rosa” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• “A Consolatory Tale” ⭐⭐

This book is easily the most frustrating book I have ever read. I knew going into it that short story collections can be a bit of a mixed bag, as it is. But while I enjoyed the writing style immensely, I couldn’t help but feel exasperated with these stories, as a whole.

Isak Dinesen writes beautifully, simply put. I can’t begin to tell you how many passages and turns of phrase there were that absolutely took my breath away. The writing itself is why I gave this three stars. I liked what I read, I just didn’t get it.

I like to think that between being a lifelong reader and having taken my share of literature courses that my literary comprehension and analysis skills are, at the very least, decent. So, it was very discouraging to me when, upon completing (what felt like) every story here, I was left thinking “huh?” Especially after reading one glowing review of this after another. Maybe I was just thinking about it too hard, or maybe I’m not as smart as I thought.

Ultimately, I finished this book feeling frustrated because I had hoped to enjoy it so much more than I did. Maybe I’d revisit this if I had the chance to read this with a book club or a class, but for now, I’m glad I borrowed it from the library.