"The Book of Lost Fragrances"

"The Book of Lost Fragrances" by M. J. Rose is a suspense novel set in the past and the present as well as in various world spots. Rose had to have done an incredible amount of research before even starting on this book and it is a well written tale about a brother and sister - heirs to a failing perfume business in Paris. Jac, the sister, lives in New York and is all for selling the company while her brother, Robbie, hopes to save the business. When Robbie disappears after a man is found dead in their Paris home, Jac returns to France and a life she left behind to join the search for her brother. As old memories surface and friends offer their support, she is caught up in more than an attempt to locate her brother. She finds herself in the midst of a plot that could cost her and those she holds dear their lives. In the meantime, there is another story line around the Dalai Lama and his heir and an interesting fact came out that I didn't know - In 2007 the Chinese government passed a law banning reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and other Buddhist monks which Tibet feels is specifically aimed at wiping out their identity and culture. Imagine legislating reincarnation!!!! pazt

"Desert Wives"

Betty Webb's "Desert Wives" is the second book in her Lena Jones mystery series. Private Detective Lena Jones finds herself under cover in a polygamous compound on the Arizona-Utah border. She's trying to save the lives of two women -- a mother and daughter -- one of whom is wanted for murder. The result is a harrowing adventure for her as well as an inside look at the seamier side of a polygamy compound and the corrupt officials who look the other way rather than assisting women in need. Webb has done it again -- weaving a great mystery using information drawn from research to create a believable but scary tale. She credits Kathleen Tracy's "The Secret Story of Polygamy" for background information and Tapestry Against Polygamy (www.polygamy.org) which is an organization founded by women who have escaped from the polygamist lifestyle. I love Webb's books and can hardly wait to read the next one! pazt

National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets

I've had the DVD, "National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets," on loan from the library for a few months now and it's time to return it. It (along with National Treasure 1) has become such a favorite of my husband's that I've decided we need our own copy of "Book of Secrets" to add to our DVD library along with the first movie. I believe it's going to be an excellent Father's Day gift for him and I'll have the benefit of watching it right along with him. This sequel is just as action packed and filled with humor (and a little romance) as the first one. The treasure Ben Gates is seeking takes us back to the Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln. Watching these movies is like having a history lesson presented in a way that makes it fun to learn. Ben Gates is again played by Nicolas Cage with Jon Voight as his dad plus his girlfriend and sidekick also return along with Harvey Keitel. New on the scene is Helen Mirren as his mom. Ed Harris does a superb job of playing the "villain" in this second movie. Although the ending seems to set the stage for a third movie, I've heard a rumor that it's not going to happen -- much to my disappointment! If you haven't seen either of the National Treasure movies, I suggest you check them out if you like adventure/action movies. pazt

"The World's Fastest Indian"

A few months ago I heard one of my son-in-law's friends tell him about the movie, "The World's Fastest Indian," starring Anthony Hopkins and I decided I had to find and watch that movie. It's based on the true story of Burt Munro from Invercargill, New Zealand, and relates what can happen when one person is focused on a dream and believes he can achieve it. Burt Munro was a speed bike racer who had a highly modified Indian Scout motorcycle and his goal was to make it to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in the late 1950-60's to set a land speed record. The road there and the incredible friends he made along the way who helped him achieve his goal makes a truly inspirational movie. Burt was born in 1899 and died at age 78 in 1978. He set three world records in the nine times he raced at Bonneville and was 63 when he set the first one and 68 when he set the last one riding a 47 year old machine. He was also featured in a letter to the editor in the May 1957 issue of "Popular Mechanics" magazine. In 2006 he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Despite the fact that the producer took some liberties with Munro's life story, the essence of his journey to setting a world record is there and it makes for a wonderful, inspirational movie. Check this one out! pazt

"In The Presence of the Enemy"

"In The Presence of the Enemy," a mystery by Elizabeth George, is a Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers novel. I've long been a fan of the Inspector Lynley mystery series I've viewed on public television but this is the first time I can remember reading one of the books. This one was "daunting" at 517 pages but well worth the read. The novel is divided into three parts with each focusing on a different aspect of this complicated case. Ten year old Charlotte Bowen, the daughter Dennis Luxford fathered but never acknowledged at the insistence of Charlotte's mother, is kidnapped and her life is threatened if Dennis doesn't admit her existence on the front page of the newspaper he edits. Matters are complicated by the fact that Charlotte's mother is a high ranking political figure who wants to preserve her career. When Eve Bowen won't give her permission for the story to be published, Luxford contacts forensic scientist Simon St. James for help hoping to find his daughter without involving the police. St. James and his assistant, Helen, as well as St. James' wife make some headway but not before the police have to be called in. When Lynley learns of their involvement without contacting authorities, he's furious at all three of them and it adds tension to his relationship with Helen -- who he hopes to make his wife. While Lynley works on the disappearance in the London area, he sends Havers out to the countryside to follow some leads. As they work the case from both locations, clues come together that lead to a climatic ending! George does an excellent job of character development so I felt I was really in their shoes understanding their feelings -- a book not to be missed! pazt

"Still Life"

"Still Life" by Louise Penny is the first book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. After picking up "Bury Your Dead" from my local library and reading it I knew I must read more of this series and decided to read it in order -- as is my favorite way to follow characters. This was Penny's debut novel and her talent shines throughout the book. The book is rich in details about the characters and the case but not the kind of detail that bogs down your reading but the kind that adds depth to a story and makes it come alive so that you feel like you're in the middle of the story itself. This book develops the character of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and sets the stage for the books to follow.

Why "Still Life" for a title? Page 140 of the hardback copy has a couple of paragraphs I'd like to quote to explain the title: "Life is change. If you aren't growing and evolving you're standing still, and the rest of the world is surging ahead. Most of these people are very immature. They lead 'still' lives waiting.....Waiting for someone to save them. Expecting someone to save them or at least protect them from the big, bad world. The thing is no one else can save them because the problem is theirs and so is the solution. Only they can get out of it."

If you love mysteries and want to discover a new writer and new character, don't miss Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series!

pazt

"The Oracle of Stamboul"

"The Oracle of Stamboul" is Michael David Lukas' debut novel and reads like historical fiction. Eleonora Cohen is a young girl who is a gifted prodigy and she changes the lives of all those around her including an eccentric Sultan who she charms and thus changes the course of an empire.

I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written novel - losing myself in the story in the day that it took me to read it. I hope to see more novels by Lukas.

pazt