Review: To Track a Traitor

I’ve talked (at length) about how I was very late to the Lane Winslow mysteries and how glad I was to finally pick up the first book in the series, A Killer in King’s Cove, back in 2021. Just, you know, 6 years after it had been published. I’ve caught up on Iona Whishaw’s amazing historical mysteries and was, like many readers, eagerly awaiting the publication of book 10 (!!), To Track a Traitor, which was finally published in April. Was it worth the wait? You bet!

Here’s the book’s description:

It’s an early morning in May when Lane is pulled from a deep sleep by a concerning phone call from Scotland—her grandfather has had a heart attack. Lane hastily makes plans to fly overseas, and a dejected Inspector Darling prepares himself for a stint of bachelorhood. But before he can begin to dwell on it the Nelson Police learn that Ben Arden, a local cad, has gone out for a late-night boat ride and not returned, which immediately sets the town rumour mill churning.
In Scotland Lane finds her grandfather on the mend but her estranged sister Diana caught up in stressful—and mysterious—circumstances of her own. As Lane follows the thread leading from South Africa to Aberdeen to the War Office in London it becomes apparent that her sister is on the run, and that keeping secrets seems to be a Winslow family trait.
Back at the Nelson Police station a strange assemblage of clues begins to amass around the Arden case, stretching from the local printshop all the way back to the Great War. But progress is interrupted when the mayor himself issues a demand that Darling travel to England to tie up a decades-old mystery with local connections. True to form, upon Darling’s arrival in London he is quickly swept up in Lane’s mission, which threatens to endanger the entire family.

Lane’s sister has been a bit of a mystery for the entire series. Lane and Diana clearly don’t have much of a relationship but there were only allusions to why that might be. I really enjoyed getting to know Lane’s family even more in this book, especially as it gave a little more insight into why Lane is the way she is. And, interestingly enough, how some traits clearly run in the family.

I don’t think I particularly liked the stress put on Lane and Darling’s relationship (er, spoiler alert) but I also understand why Whishaw would have included it in the story. They’re still newlyweds and learning how to live with, not only their spouse, but with another person for the first time in many, many years. Both Lane and Darling are older (for the time…I’m pretty sure Lane is only in her late 20s, possibly early 30s) and never really pictured married life for themselves. It’s a huge adjustment. So, while I was sad that one of my favourite fictional couples was facing some relationship problems, it made a lot of sense.

As always, the history and the mystery play equally important roles in the story. It’s part of why I love this series so much, honestly. There are always a few mysteries that require solving and I can never make sense of the clues before Lane and Darling (or Darling’s right-hand man, Ames) have figured out the whole case. I like that I’m kept guessing through the whole book. And I like that I’m learning more about Canadian history while waiting to find out whodunit. This time, Whishaw shared details about both world wars and what it would have been like for various people during that time. Interesting, as always!

As eagerly as I was awaiting To Track a Traitor, I’m now sad that I’ve finished Iona Whishaw’s latest book! I’m going to have to wait so long for the next story in Lane Winslow’s series and waiting is so hard! If you like historical fiction and mysteries, you really must read this series. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Touchwood Editions, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Framed in Fire

I was a latecomer to the Lane Winslow series having only started reading Iona Whishaw’s mysteries last year. It started with A Killer in King’s Cove, published in 2015, and Framed in Fire, the ninth book in the bestselling series, is about to be published. I absolutely devoured it over the Easter long weekend – both wanting to finish the story so I would know how it ended and wanting to savour every last page of this great installment.

Here’s the book’s description:

It’s early spring 1948 and Lane arrives in New Denver to find that her friend, Peter Barisoff, is not at home. Instead, in a nearby meadow, she encounters Tom, an Indigenous man in search of his ancestral lands. Lane is intrigued. Unfortunately, once Peter returns home, the day takes a gloomy turn when the trio uncovers human remains next to Peter’s garden, and Lane must tell her husband, Inspector Darling, that she’s inadvertently stumbled into his professional domain—again.
Back in Nelson, the Vitalis, Lane and Darling’s favourite restaurateurs, are victims of arson. Constable Terrell’s investigation suggests prejudice as a motive, and the case quickly escalates, as the Vitalis receive increasingly threatening notes of warning. Meanwhile, Sergeant Ames works a robbery while alienating Tina Van Eyck in his personal time, and a swirling rumour sets the entire station on edge and prompts an RCMP investigation into Darling’s integrity.
Amid the local bustle series readers have come to love, Framed in Fire is bound up in difficult questions of community and belonging, and the knowledge that trusted neighbours can sometimes be as sinister as a stranger in the dark.

There are a lot of things I love about this series. One of them is the historical facts Whishaw weaves into her mysteries. We had already met Barisoff and learned of the struggles his people, the Doukhobors, had endured when they fled Russia for Canada. In this book, Whishaw honours the First Nations people who would have lived in the area where Lane and her friends now reside. The Sinixt lived in what is now the West Kootenay region and, though there are still a few who reside in Canada (most are in Washington state), the Canadian government declared the Sinixt extinct in 1956 (not long after Lane’s story took place). Whishaw treated the Sinixt story with, what I believe is, respect and explains in her acknowledgements who she spoke to and the information she relied on from her sources to make sure she was respectful. She noted that she had had no idea about the Indigenous people who would have lived in her area and I’m glad she learned about them and could weave their story into Lane’s.

Another thing I love about these books is Lane herself. She is, as one of the characters in this book says, a warrior. She’s absolutely magnificent and I don’t blame her husband’s Sergeant, the affable Ames, for being so (platonically) infatuated with her. I am too! Given I love me some World War II historical fiction stories, I’d love to know exactly what Lane got up to during the war but then this series wouldn’t be what it is – a story of a woman who went through hell during a war and is trying (and succeeding) to rebuild her life in the peace and quiet of another country. Well, it would be peaceful if she didn’t go around finding dead bodies all the time! She’s incredibly intelligent (she’d have to be, given what she had to do during the war) and I love that the men in this series (including the aforementioned Ames as well as her husband, Inspector Darling) have nothing but the utmost respect for her. They don’t find her a nuisance when she has a thought about a case and they only get growly because they want her to be safe. What I wouldn’t give to pull up a chair on Lane’s back porch and settle in with a restorative drink to hear some of her stories.

Now, the actual mystery in this mystery novel involved, as per usual, a few different cases. I wasn’t sure if they would end up being related or not and I loved reading along and trying to connect the dots alongside Lane and Darling. I can’t say I saw the ending coming, which is always a delight when reading a mystery novel. Sure, I like feeling like I’m smart and could figure out the end but I kind of like having no idea right up until the final reveal.

I cannot recommend the Lane Winslow mystery series enough. Iona Whishaw is an immensely talented writer and she has created a heroine and a series that is so incredibly delightful to read. Framed in Fire was so, so very good and I highly encourage everyone to read it – and the rest of the books in the series!

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, TouchWood Editions, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Bluebird

It is no secret that I love everything Genevieve Graham writes. (And if you didn’t know that…where have you been?) I’ve been so very excited about Bluebird since Graham first hinted at the storyline so my hopes were high for another great read. Even with sky high expectations, Graham managed to smash them and delivered a stunning historical fiction novel that I was completely riveted by. I didn’t want it to end.

Here’s the book’s description:

Present day
Cassie Simmons, a museum curator, is enthusiastic about solving mysteries from the past, and she has a personal interest in the history of the rumrunners who ferried illegal booze across the Detroit River during Prohibition. So when a cache of whisky labeled Bailey Brothers’ Best is unearthed during a local home renovation, Cassie hopes to find the answers she’s been searching for about the legendary family of bootleggers...
1918
Corporal Jeremiah Bailey of the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company is tasked with planting mines in the tunnels beneath enemy trenches. After Jerry is badly wounded in an explosion, he finds himself in a Belgium field hospital under the care of Adele Savard, one of Canada’s nursing sisters, nicknamed “Bluebirds” for their blue gowns and white caps. As Jerry recovers, he forms a strong connection with Adele, who is from a place near his hometown of Windsor, along the Detroit River. In the midst of war, she’s a welcome reminder of home, and when Jerry is sent back to the front, he can only hope that he’ll see his bluebird again.
By war’s end, both Jerry and Adele return home to Windsor, scarred by the horrors of what they endured overseas. When they cross paths one day, they have a chance to start over. But the city is in the grip of Prohibition, which brings exciting opportunities as well as new dangerous conflicts that threaten to destroy everything they have fought for.

What I, and so many others, love about Graham’s novels is that they feature Canadian history – and often the parts of our history that are lesser-known. Yes, most people know that Canadians fought in World War I and anyone who lives near the US/Canadian border knows how important Prohibition was to the Canadian towns along the water. But the specifics about the Canadian Tunnelling Company and the nursing sisters, like Adele? I can’t say I knew anything about them. (And if tunnellers sound familiar, yes, Graham was inspired by Peaky Blinders.) 

Not only is the history presented in Graham’s novel our history but it’s so incredibly well researched. True, I don’t know what it was like to live in this time period so I can’t say for sure that Graham is 100% accurate. But, like many historical fiction authors, she outlines the research she did and mentions some of the sources she used to help craft her narrative. That, to me, shows the author put the work into determining what life was really like and was able to create a story that suited the time period. Another great thing about Graham’s work is that I never feel like a history textbook is being recited at me. The historical facts are woven into the fictional narrative so seamlessly that you can almost forget you’re reading a book set a hundred years ago.

Some people may think that the “present day” sections aren’t necessary but I’d argue that they are. There are only a few pieces of story told from Cassie’s point of view but they do help move the story along. And I think these types of stories – ones that feature characters who lived so very long ago – need something to ground the reader. The reader is in Cassie’s shoes and it helps them realize why this story, about people who died so long ago, matters now. And maybe I’m a bit precious about the present day sections because it was me and my colleagues who helped Graham determine she needed to connect with Cassie (who, yes, really exists) at the Maison François Baby House in Windsor.

It’s so hard to write a review for a book that I loved so, so, so much. Bluebird was one of those books. Genevieve Graham has written seven historical fiction novels now and this latest one? It just may have catapulted itself to the top of my favourites list. It was so well written, and full of fascinating facts and characters that feel like friends. I hope you buy a copy of this one soon and love it just as much as I did.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Lethal Lesson

I love finding new (or new to me) Canadian authors. At some point in the last year or so, blogger and author Kerry Clare had been talking raving about Iona Whishaw, the author of the Lane Winslow mysteries. I filed that knowledge away as I thought a Canadian mystery series might be just what my pandemic reading brain needed. Fast forward to the publisher's announcement that book eight, A Lethal Lesson, would be published in late April, and after a bit of back and forth on Instagram, I had a copy of the first novel, A Killer in King's Cove, and an egalley of the newest to enjoy. And enjoy I did!  

Here's the book's description:

Back home in the Kootenays after her Arizona honeymoon, Lane offers her assistance when neither the outgoing teacher, Rose, nor her replacement, Wendy, show up at the local schoolhouse one blizzardy Monday in December. But when she finds the teachers’ cottage ransacked with Rose unconscious and bleeding, and Wendy missing, Lane delivers Rose to the hospital in Nelson and turns the case over to her exasperated husband, Inspector Darling, and his capable colleagues, Sergeant Ames and Constable Terrell.
Never one to leave a post unmanned, Lane enlists as substitute teacher for the final two weeks before the Christmas holidays, during which time she discovers a threatening note in the teachers’ desk and a revolver in the supply cupboard. But these clues only convolute the case further. Who has been tormenting these women, and where has Wendy gone?
Meanwhile, Darling finds the body of a hit-and-run victim in a snowbank miles outside of Nelson, the residents of King’s Cove are preoccupied by the possibility of a new neighbour, and Sergeant Ames is as confused as ever by the inimitable Tina Van Eyck.

Each story could, technically, be read as a standalone but part of the series' charm is the small community of King's Cove and the various characters found within. I made sure to browse the descriptions of each book since the first to get an idea of what was happening with the characters so I knew Lane and Darling had figured out they had feelings for each other (feelings that are barely hinted at in the first book but the tension is there) and had gotten hitched. I cannot wait to go back and read the rest of the stories to catch up on all of the King's Cove residents and see what I've missed. It will give me something to look forward to as I wait for the ninth installment!

I love that this is a historical mystery. It's a subgenre that I didn't know I needed! It takes place not long after the end of World War II, which we all know is a time period I love. The majority of the characters in the novel didn't face any action, given many of them are older and they're all in middle of nowhere British Columbia, not Europe, but Lane did. I'm still not sure how much because it was only just discovered in the first book, but I know she was very involved in something. I also really like that the stories give me a glimpse into small town Canadian life at that time, which isn't something I've encountered too much in the past.

I really had no idea how the mystery would be solved. I was just as confused as the police officers and Lane and I couldn't tell what kind of connection the many incidents had to each other, if any. The story has flashbacks from various characters that provide more background to their history. It sounds like it could be confusing but it works because it allows the reader to get a better understanding of their motivations in the present. I also like that the novel starts with one of the incidents and the rest of the story is spent trying to figure out the why and the who. 

A Lethal Lesson was exactly the read I needed earlier this month and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Iona Whishaw has delivered another great installment to her Lane Winslow series that will keep readers guessing and entertained. The mystery is intriguing and the history is interesting. I can't wait for the next book.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Touchwood Editions, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Forgotten Daughter

Do you ever hold off reading a book because you're not sure if you're going to love it as much as you think you will? I had that a little bit with Joanna Goodman's The Forgotten Daughter. I was really looking forward to it's release last fall because I really enjoyed the story she started in The Home for Unwanted Girls. While the sequel didn't quite live up to my expectations, I still enjoyed the read and the history lesson Goodman shared.

Here's the book's description:

Divided by their past, united by love.
1992: French-Canadian factions renew Quebec’s fight to gain independence, and wild, beautiful Véronique Fortin, daughter of a radical separatist convicted of kidnapping and murdering a prominent politician in 1970, has embraced her father’s cause. So it is a surprise when she falls for James Phénix, a journalist of French-Canadian heritage who opposes Quebec separatism. Their love affair is as passionate as it is turbulent, as they negotiate a constant struggle between love and morals.
At the same time, James’s older sister, Elodie Phénix, one of the Duplessis Orphans, becomes involved with a coalition demanding justice and reparations for their suffering in the 1950s when Quebec’s orphanages were converted to mental hospitals, a heinous political act of Premier Maurice Duplessis which affected 5,000 children.
Véronique is the only person Elodie can rely on as she fights for retribution, reliving her trauma, while Elodie becomes a sisterly presence for Véronique, who continues to struggle with her family’s legacy.

I absolutely loved that this story reminded me of Quebec's recent history. I was too young in the '90s to fully understand what was happening with the referendum in 1995. I know I would have learned about it when I got a bit older but the why of it wouldn't have been explored like it was in this book. The novel also gave some closure to the Duplessis Orphans, who we learned about in the first book. There was a lot of important events for the characters that were overlapping which was interesting from a historical perspective.

That overlapping didn't quite work from a story standpoint for me. It felt like two separate stories were trying to be mushed together in one plot because it seemed convenient. James and Véronique were bringing those two stories together but them being together romantically never made sense for me and it all seemed forced. I enjoyed each character and their story separately but once they came together in various ways, that's when I started to lose the threads a bit.

I've read a few historical fiction novels lately that have a journalist for a main character. My partner is a reporter for the local newspaper and to see that (very important) profession explored in a historical context is always interesting to me. I especially liked that James was a French Canadian who was working for an English Canadian newspaper and the extra level of tension that it added to the story was well done.

Even though I had a review copy from the publisher, I ended up listening to most of this one on audiobook from my library. I think that was a really great idea as the narrator, Esther Thibault, uses a Quebecois accent when speaking dialogue and I felt it added a lot to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I think I would still recommend Joanna Goodman's novel The Forgotten Daughter but note that readers should pick up The Home for Unwanted Girls first and/or have a very heavy interest in Canadian politics. The stories Goodman told were good ones but the execution of those stories were a miss for me.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Letters Across the Sea

For a relatively young country, Canada has a rich history. And one that is full of events and people that are hardly talked about. Genevieve Graham is exposing these little known moments one novel at a time. She has a gift for taking a point in time and creating an incredibly compelling tale that will allow readers to get lost in a story while learning about our country's history. Letters Across the Sea was an eyeopening read full of characters I fell in love with.

Here's the book's description:

If you’re reading this letter, that means I’m dead. I had obviously hoped to see you again, to explain in person, but fate had other plans.
1933
At eighteen years old, Molly Ryan dreams of becoming a journalist, but instead she spends her days working any job she can to help her family through the Depression crippling her city. The one bright spot in her life is watching baseball with her best friend, Hannah Dreyfus, and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother, Max.
But as the summer unfolds, more and more of Hitler’s hateful ideas cross the sea and “Swastika Clubs” and “No Jews Allowed” signs spring up around Toronto, a city already simmering with mass unemployment, protests, and unrest. When tensions between the Irish and Jewish communities erupt in a riot one smouldering day in August, Molly and Max are caught in the middle, with devastating consequences for both their families.
1939
Six years later, the Depression has eased and Molly is a reporter at her local paper. But a new war is on the horizon, putting everyone she cares about most in peril. As letters trickle in from overseas, Molly is forced to confront what happened all those years ago, but is it too late to make things right?

The research a historical fiction author has to embark on is incredibly interesting to me (are you surprised? I adore the genre and spent the last year working for a community museum. I like me some history.). I've heard a number of authors say they started with one idea and, through their research, was able to bring in something completely different that enriched the final story. As Graham explains in the author's note, she originally wanted to focus on the Christie Pits Riot and then have Max sent to fight in Dieppe. She changed her mind when she learned about the Canadian soldiers who fought in Hong Kong. I don't know about you, but I knew nothing about those battles and I'm really glad people like Graham and others are working to make sure those men are not forgotten.

It was particularly poignant to read about the riot and unrest as we're still reading about racist behaviour and hate crimes occurring in Toronto and elsewhere. I couldn't help but see the parallels between what was happening in 1933 and what's happening now - almost ninety years later. We think we've come so far but some white people are acting just as irrationally now as they did then. The Jewish people are as to blame for WWII as those of Asian descent are for COVID-19. As in, they're absolutely not to blame. I hadn't known much, if anything, about the Christie Pits Riot and I worried for everyone while also being sickened that so much violence was erupting because someone decided their beliefs were better than someone else's. 

I liked that Molly was interested in journalism and was eventually able to work at a newspaper. Being a reporter is a really important job (I should know - I live with one) and there are so many out there who are doing their damnedest to make sure the truth is being reported. Yes, some media outlets report with a clear bias (as Graham discusses really well in her novel - the discussion about how the Jewish papers were talking about what was happening to their people in Germany well before other papers were was sobering) but far too often I hear every news outlet from every medium get tarred with the same brush. Hearing that it's "the media's" fault for, well, it seems like everything sometimes. You have to think critically, read past the headline, and take in the whole story to get the full picture. That full picture will tell the truth. And, yes, you should be paying for your news. Subscribe to your local paper. Support journalism. Know the difference between an opinion piece and a news article. I don't want to know a world where everything we hear about is determined by corporations and their ad dollars instead of reporters hard at work, chasing the real and important stories.

Well. That got a bit soapbox-y and off track. Back to the book!

As I've established, Graham is a master at writing about Canada's history in a way that engages, interests, and educates the reader. She is also so, so good at writing characters that seem so real that it's a surprise when they don't leap off the page or when you remember you're reading a book, not talking to a real person. Both Molly and Max had chapters told from their points of view (Molly was first person and Max was third...I'm not totally sure why there was a distinction and sometimes it was a bit jarring to change perspectives like that) so you were able to really feel what they were each feeling during the story. How each family was reacting to the possibility of Max and Molly having feelings for each other. How the riots affected them all. How they dealt with the many, many horrors of war. Through the eyes of these wonderful characters, we learn what it was like for women and families left behind in Canada during the war and how men fighting a battle they never should have had to fight were captured and, ultimately, forgotten about. 

Letters Across the Sea is another winner from Genevieve Graham. Her latest novel will educate you on our country's past and make you take a hard look at what else you can be doing in our present to protect our future. You'll grieve for characters and you'll feel hopeful about the changes that are to come. Read this book and read the author's note at the end. Educate yourself even further than Graham's (most excellent) novel. And, above all, enjoy this wonderful story.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. A physical ARC was also provided by the author herself. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Spoon Stealer

You all know I love Genevieve Graham's books. So when she told me I had to read Lesley Crewe's The Spoon Stealer, well, I trusted her judgement. I'm so glad she recommended this historical fiction (written by another Canadian!) to me because I absolutely, completely, totally loved it.

Here's the synopsis:

Born into a basket of clean sheets—ruining a perfectly good load of laundry—Emmeline never quite fit in on her family's rural Nova Scotian farm. After suffering multiple losses in the First World War, her family became so heavy with grief, toxicity, and mental illness that Emmeline felt their weight smothering her. And so, she fled across the Atlantic and built her life in England. Now she is retired and living in a small coastal town with her best friend, Vera, an excellent conversationalist. Vera is also a small white dog, and so Emmeline is making an effort to talk to more humans. When she joins a memoir-writing course at the library, her classmates don't know what to make of her. Funny, loud, and with a riveting memoir, she charms the lot. As her past unfolds for her audience, friendships form, a bonus in a rather lonely life. She even shares with them her third-biggest secret: she has liberated hundreds of spoons over her lifetime—from the local library, Cary Grant, Winston Churchill. She is a compulsive spoon stealer.

When Emmeline unexpectedly inherits the farm she grew up on, she knows she needs to leave her new friends and go see the farm and what remains of her family one last time. She arrives like a tornado in their lives, an off-kilter Mary Poppins bossing everyone around and getting quite a lot wrong. But with her generosity and hard-earned wisdom, she gets an awful lot right too. A pinball ricocheting between people, offending and inspiring in equal measure, Emmeline, in her final years, believes that a spoonful—perhaps several spoonfuls—of kindness can set to rights the family so broken by loss and secrecy.

Oh, this book. It made my heart so full. Emmeline was such a joy to read about. Her storytelling (and therefore Crewe's) was so amazing and I really felt like I was following Emmeline around as she was reading her memoir and then traveling to Canada to meet her family. 

It did feel like a really long book, though it's just 360 pages. Normally I'm a remarkably fast reader but it took me awhile to finish this one. I think it's because Crewe adds in a lot of detail, plus I was so enthralled in the story and the way it was told that I may have been lingering over the words a bit longer than usual. That said, the beginning does drag ever so slightly but the set up pays off for the rest of the story. 

Do yourself a favour and read the author's note at the end, too. Crewe explains how the story came to be and what parts of it were inspired by her own family. I love hearing how novels come to life.

I hadn't really thought too much about how the book's description mentions Emmeline's spoon stealing was her third biggest secret. The other two secrets are big ones and they explain so much about Emmeline's life and how she's been living it. 

The Spoon Stealer is one of those novels that will burrow into your heart and stay there. It's also a really hard one to review because I don't want to give anything away and I just want to shove it into your hands and say, "READ IT!" I was close to tears as I reached the end of Lesley Crewe's latest novel. It's a well written, engaging story featuring a main character who is unique and completely lovable. You'll love every moment you spend with Emmeline.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Nimbus Publishing, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The English Wife

I've read a lot of books that take place during WWII and I'm always interested in reading even more. What I haven't read before is a dual timeline novel that follows one character through the war and another through 9/11 and being stranded in Gander, Newfoundland. That's the basis of Adrienne Chinn's new novel The English Wife, out tomorrow, and it definitely intrigued me.

Here's the synopsis:

Two women, a world apart.
A secret waiting to be discovered…
VE Day 1945
As victory bells ring out across the country, war bride Ellie Burgess’ happiness is overshadowed by grief. Her charismatic Newfoundlander husband Thomas is still missing in action.
Until a letter arrives explaining Thomas is back at home on the other side of the Atlantic recovering from his injuries.
Travelling to a distant country to live with a man she barely knows is the bravest thing Ellie has ever had to do. But nothing can prepare her for the harsh realities of her new home…
September 11th 2001
Sophie Parry is on a plane to New York on the most tragic day in the city’s history. While the world watches the news in horror, Sophie’s flight is rerouted to a tiny town in Newfoundland and she is forced to seek refuge with her estranged aunt Ellie.
Determined to discover what it was that forced her family apart all those years ago, newfound secrets may change her life forever…

I did read an egalley but these bonkers times mean I can't easily and safely pop out to a bookshop just to double check a print copy So. Do you see how the synopsis references VE Day? That was May 8, 1945. (We just celebrated the 75th anniversary this year, which prompted me to post this photo on Instagram back in May.) Here's the thing...not a single chapter in this book takes place during 1945. The mind is boggled.

Related to the dual narrative/time period...it took a bit to get my head around. The novel starts with Part One in 1946 with Ellie leaving England to move to be with Thomas in Newfoundland. Then chapter two and three introduces Sophie in September 2011. And then it goes back to Ellie in 1940, and then Sophie in 2001. While it might be nitpicky, I would have liked the first three chapters as a prologue, especially given part one is so long. It would have helped ground the story and helped the time jumps seem more seamless.

At first I was wondering how on earth there were so many secrets in a family. And that there was such a conviction to keep those secrets buried. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the generation who lived through the war really tended not to tell their stories. Further, many of us in later generations just...didn't ask questions. My grandma would have been five when the war began and while things would have been different here in Canada, she still would have remembered some things about the time during and especially after the war. But I never asked. All that to say, perhaps it would have been easier to hide things than I first thought.

One of the secrets I managed to figure out before it was revealed so I was sort of like, ok ok get on with it already. Unfair? Perhaps. That said, there was one final twist that I was surprised about. (Yes, vague. Can't really say more without giving it away and we don't want that!)

I'm not really sure what I thought about this novel, to be honest. I didn't dislike it. But it was just...fine. For a novel that features two of the biggest moments in recent-ish history (I'd say THE two biggest but this whole COVID-19 thing is pretty intense), it's going to be a pretty forgettable book for me.

What I did absolutely love was that so much of the story took place in Newfoundland. I've never been there, haven't been to the east coast at all, but I love when my country gets to be featured in any novel. It doesn't happen nearly enough, in my opinion. Given the author was born in Newfoundland, the description of the province rang true and it was as magical as I expected it to be.

Adrienne Chinn's new novel was well written even if the story and characters failed to completely captivate me. The English Wife tells the tale of a number of ordinary people trying to make their way through extraordinary times. If nothing else, it allows the reader a glimpse into other peoples' lives which is, really, why a lot of us turn to books - to experience other things that are different than our own life.

*An e-galley was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Brideship Wife

Were you always bored in history class in elementary and high school? I was a pretty good student but even I couldn't get excited about history in school. I'm a big fan of historical fiction these days though and I almost always use the novels as a starting point for learning more about what really happened way back when. Sometimes I read novels about things I should have learned in school and have just totally pushed out of my head. But sometimes I come across a story that features a part of history that almost everyone has forgotten about. The Brideship Wife was one of those novels. Author Leslie Howard stumbled on the history of brideships in the 1800s and decided it was the perfect setting for a novel.

Here's the synopsis:

Tomorrow we would dock in Victoria on the northwest coast of North America, about as far away from my home as I could imagine. Like pebbles tossed upon the beach, we would scatter, trying to make our way as best as we could. Most of us would marry; some would not.
England, 1862. Charlotte is somewhat of a wallflower. Shy and bookish, she knows her duty is to marry, but with no dowry, she has little choice in the matter. She can’t continue to live off the generosity of her sister Harriet and her wealthy brother-in-law, Charles, whose political aspirations dictate that she make an advantageous match.
When Harriet hosts a grand party, Charlotte is charged with winning the affections of one of Charles’s colleagues, but before the night is over, her reputation—her one thing of value—is at risk. In the days that follow, rumours begin to swirl. Soon Charles’s standing in society is threatened and all that Charlotte has held dear is jeopardized, even Harriet, and Charlotte is forced to leave everything she has ever known in England and embark on a treacherous voyage to the New World.
From the rigid social circles of Victorian England to the lawless lands bursting with gold in British Columbia’s Cariboo, The Brideship Wife takes readers on a mesmerizing journey through a time of great change. Based on a forgotten chapter in history, this is a sparkling debut about the pricelessness of freedom and the courage it takes to follow your heart.

I really felt like I was going on this journey with Charlotte. I don't know exactly what the settings would have been like, of course, but the worlds Howard created in this novel were brought to life for me. It was vivid, without being overly descriptive, and it was very much like a movie in my head.

I did struggle with a few things in this novel that kept me from loving it, like I kind of expected to. There was a lot happening in this novel. A lot. There was the scandal that pushed Charlotte out of England (which has multiple layers to it in terms of class and gender inequality) and the main purpose of the story, to explain the history of the brideships. But then there was the smallpox pandemic and how it devastated the Indigenous population in what was to become Canada. There were race issues, both with the Indigenous in British Columbia and with Charlotte's friend Sarah, who was half black, and her father. Then there was a devastating fire, which happened often in gold mining towns (and yes, there was a lot on the gold rush, too) that were built entirely of wood, which closed the book on a random character who was not at all necessary to the plot. Oh, and a laudanum addiction pops up too. Yeah. A lot. And on top of all that, Charlotte is a gentlewoman. She had some education but she seemed to know way more than a woman of her class would have.

All that being said, the themes Howard presented were very, very good ones. I appreciated that she focused on race and gender issues because so many of those issues are still prevalent today. Perhaps not as extreme as it once was but we still have a lot of work to do. The women who were on the brideships, and others who made their way to the New World in other ways, still had some societal restraints but they were also afforded many more freedoms than they had had in Victorian England. It was so wonderful to read as these women grabbed ahold of their new lives and made the most of it because they knew they deserved it.

I've been loving the historical fiction Canadian authors are writing right now. My favourite is Genevieve Graham and she was the one who reminded me that we have some interesting history in our country - even if we're a young country. Howard has contributed to the genre as well with her debut which focuses on a part of history that we were in danger of forgetting. I'm looking forward to even more historical novels about Canada's history. (Hear that, authors and publishers? Give me what I need.) Have you read other authors who write about Canadian history specifically (especially Indigenous authors)? I'd love to hear about them.

While I didn't love the novel The Brideship Wife I did love what Leslie Howard was attempting in her debut novel. I think historical fiction fans, especially Canadians, should consider reading this one because it tells a story of our history that we shouldn't forget.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Cover Reveal: The Forgotten Home Child

I was a little bit late to the Genevieve Graham party but once I read Promises to Keep two years ago I was completely hooked (my full review here). Graham does an amazing job of taking Canadian history and weaving it into a riveting novel. She honours our past and creates a story you won't want to put down at the same time. I don't know if teenage me would have thought I'd be this excited about stories about Canadian history but here we are.

Graham's latest novel is going to be The Forgotten Home Child and will be published by Simon & Schuster Canada in March 2020. (I can't believe we're talking about 2020 books already...where on earth did 2019 go?)

Here's what this novel is going to be about:

2018
At ninety-seven years old, Winnifred Ellis knows she doesn’t have much time left, and it is almost a relief to realize that once she is gone, the truth about her shameful past will die with her. But when her great-grandson Jamie, the spitting image of her dear late husband, asks about his family tree, Winnifred can’t lie any longer, even if it means breaking a promise she made so long ago...
1936
Fifteen-year-old Winny has never known a real home. After running away from an abusive stepfather, she falls in with Mary, Jack, and their ragtag group of friends roaming the streets of Liverpool. When the children are caught stealing food, Winny and Mary are left in Dr. Barnardo’s Barkingside Home for Girls, a local home for orphans and forgotten children found in the city’s slums. At Barkingside, Winny learns she will soon join other boys and girls in a faraway place called Canada, where families and better lives await them.
But Winny’s hopes are dashed when she is separated from her friends and sent to live with a family that has no use for another daughter. Instead, they have paid for an indentured servant to work on their farm. Faced with this harsh new reality, Winny clings to the belief that she will someday find her friends again.
Inspired by true events, The Forgotten Home Child is a moving and heartbreaking novel about place, belonging, and family—the one we make for ourselves and its enduring power to draw us home.

Like Joanna Goodman's Home for Unwanted Girls, Graham's novel features a part of Canadian history that's less than savoury. I think it's important for us to know where we come from and how we can do better. (Which is also why I think we should all be reading more Indigenous authors...that's going to be a huge 2020 goal for me.)

Speaking of where we come from, Graham has this to say about why she chose to write about this part of our history:

I first learned about the British Home Children a few years ago, when I stumbled upon an article about them online. The article said that starting in 1869-1948, 100,000-130,000 destitute British children between the ages of three and eighteen were taken from England’s streets, orphanages, and Homes, then shipped across the ocean to work in Canada, where it was thought they’d have a chance to lead better lives. The trouble was that once the children arrived here, there were few to no checks and balances in place. What could go wrong? Plenty. Some of the children did quite well. Those were informally adopted and their lives improved unquestionably. Unfortunately, most of the children did not. The majority became indentured servants, working as farm labourers and domestic servants. And approximately 75% of those children experienced neglect and abuse. Thanks to the recent fascination with genealogy, it has since been determined that 12% of Canada’s population is now descended from these children. That’s over four million Canadians! And most of them have no idea they might have a British Home Child in their family tree.

 I've prattled on long enough, haven't I? Are you ready for the cover now? Of course you are.

I can already feel my heartstrings tugging for these kids, especially Winny. I'm so interested to see what will happen in this novel and I hope you will be too.

Review: At the Mountain's Edge

At the Mountain's Edge was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I've loved all of Genevieve Graham's other historical fiction titles (you can see two other reviews here and here) and always look forward to her new releases. This latest one - just published today - moves to Canada's West coast and focuses on the Klondike Gold Rush. The drama practically writes itself! Sometimes having high expectation of a novel can be a bad thing but Graham's new book was great and I loved reading it.

Here's the synopsis:

From bestselling author Genevieve Graham comes a sweeping new historical novel of love, tragedy, and redemption set during the height of the Klondike Gold Rush.
In 1897, the discovery of gold in the desolate reaches of the Yukon has the world abuzz with excitement, and thousands of prospectors swarm to the north seeking riches the likes of which have never been seen before.
For Liza Peterson and her family, the gold rush is a chance for them to make a fortune by moving their general store business from Vancouver to Dawson City, the only established town in the Yukon. For Constable Ben Turner, a recent recruit of the North-West Mounted Police, upholding the law in a place overrun with guns, liquor, prostitutes, and thieves is an opportunity to escape a dark past and become the man of integrity he has always wanted to be. But the long, difficult journey over icy mountain passes and whitewater rapids is much more treacherous than Liza or Ben imagined, and neither is completely prepared for the forbidding north.
As Liza’s family nears the mountain’s peak, a catastrophe strikes with fatal consequences, and not even the NWMP can help. Alone and desperate, Liza finally reaches Dawson City, only to find herself in a different kind of peril. Meanwhile, Ben, wracked with guilt over the accident on the trail, sees the chance to make things right. But just as love begins to grow, new dangers arise, threatening to separate the couple forever.
Inspired by history as rich as the Klondike’s gold, At the Mountain’s Edge is an epic tale of romance and adventure about two people who must let go of the past not only to be together, but also to survive.

I'll tell you one thing. I'm fairly confident there is no way I would have survived Liza's trek. I work out and am healthy but I do not do well when conditions are less than ideal. I am one to get hangry. I'm not even a huge fan of camping. So, the thought of having to haul all of my important worldly possessions up a freaking mountain during a Canadian winter and not having easy access to food? Oh, there's no way. Therefore, I have huge respect for Liza - and all the other women who made this trip because their husbands and fathers made the decision for them. I can't say I understand why men would battle the elements - and each other - to pan for gold but I suppose I'm not much of an adventurous sort. What I really liked is that Graham had Liza's father want to head north not because of the gold, exactly. He wasn't going to mine. No, he saw a business opportunity. It was a sound plan but I didn't blame Liza and her mother one bit for not being thrilled with having to uproot their life in Vancouver.

Reading historical fiction is always interesting and for several reasons. One is that you're reading it through a modern lens. I'm sure most women these days would balk at their husbands dictating their lives. You might do crazy things for love - like hike up a mountain in stupid cold weather with no promise of making it to your destination alive or with all your extremities - but I'm sure as hell not being told what to do. So, I admit it was hard to get into the correct mindset with this book. That also proved difficult when Liza's father had a conniption when she found a pair of trousers. A woman in pants! Scandalous! I mean, I know it would have been but it seems so laughable now. These are all important points that I'm glad Graham included as it really allows the reader to learn about the time and how, maybe, we still have further to go.

I must say that I did find the beginning of the story to drag ever so slightly. I must have expected Liza and Ben to meet (and fall in love) early on but each character had to go through so much - physically and emotionally - before they were able to be together. Although reading how they had to make the arduous trek to Dawson City was interesting at times, it got a bit repetitive and I was definitely ready for Liza to set up shop by the time she arrived in town.

Liza might be one of my all-time favourite characters. She's feisty, smart, strong, and determined and those were all qualities she needed when she was traveling and dealing with absolutely horrific conditions. She's very much her own woman and I'm glad Ben recognized that.

Graham has a knack for taking historical events in Canada that we (should) all know about and adding a human element that makes it even more interesting and engaging. Sure, I must have learned about the Klondike Gold Rush back in school but thanks to Graham (and my sister working in the Yukon last summer), I know a lot more about Dawson City and what it would have been like during that crazy time. Also, a fun aside: my sister had visited Diamond Tooth Gerties when she was up north and told me it was Canada's first casino. And doesn't Gertie, diamond tooth and all, pop up in this book? You can still visit the casino and can take in a can-can show, as my sister did.

While At the Mountain's Edge may not be my favourite novel by Genevieve Graham, I was really happy with it. She once again managed to take an important event in Canadian history and bring it to the forefront of readers' minds. I highly recommend you read all of Graham's novels - and then tell me what you think!

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*