A TRICK OF THE LIGHT by Louise Penny
Three Pines is a village near Montréal that is so small it does not appear on any map. For its size, this town has had an inordinate number of murders; solving them is the job of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté de Quebec and his team of detectives. This time, the victim is a woman, Lillian Dyson, whose art criticism years ago was so caustic that she was responsible for putting an end to budding careers. Louise Penny’s A Trick of the Light is all about artists—their insecurities, craving for recognition, pettiness, resentment, and jealousy.
September 2, 2011
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Judi Clark · 
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Tags: AA, Alcoholic, Art, Good & Evil, Montreal, Murder Mystery, Small Town · Posted in: Canada, Character Driven, Reading Guide, Sleuths Series, y Award Winning Author
IMPERFECT BIRDS by Anne Lamont
If you are at all familiar with any of Anne Lamott’s books, IMPERFECT BIRDS will have a very familiar ring to it. It tackles the themes of addiction, spirituality, 12- step programs and enabling.
April 15, 2010
· Judi Clark · No Comments
Tags: AA, Addiction, mother-daughter, Spiritual · Posted in: California, Family Matters, Reading Guide
NIGHT NAVIGATION by Ginnah Howard
Ginnah Howard’s NIGHT NAVIGATION is a powerful and unflinching novel about drug addiction and mental illness. It is beautifully written in a terse and spare style that is both rich and evocative. The narrative reminded me of the music of Erik Satie or the pizzicato violin in the andante movement of Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto. The writing is that beautiful and melodic. It made me rise out of myself into the world that Ms. Howard has created.
November 11, 2009
· Judi Clark · No Comments
Tags: AA, Addiction, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Mental Health/Illness · Posted in: Contemporary, Debut Novel, Family Matters, NE & New York
BLAME by Michelle Huneven
Michelle Huneven’s new novel, BLAME, has one of the best prologues to come along in a long time. Here, we are introduced to Joey Hawthorne, a preteen struggling with the impending death of her mother to breast cancer. One day tall, handsome uncle Brice shows up to pick her up from summer typing lessons and she immediately suspects something is wrong—her mother will die shortly thereafter. Through Brice, Joey is introduced to his temperamental girlfriend, Patsy MacLemoore.
September 27, 2009
· Judi Clark · No Comments
Tags: AA, Addiction, FSG, Guilt, Michelle Huneven · Posted in: Contemporary, Literary, y Award Winning Author