Autumn
reading 2002
|
Brink, Andre
|
An aging retired
librarian finds his life falling apart. His wife has died and his sons
have left South Africa. When he takes on a young lodger his life is
turned upside down. This is an engrossing and thought-provoking novel by
a well-established author. |
|
Budnitz, Judy |
This novel focuses
on four generations of female immigrants from Eastern Europe to America.
The author skillfully blurs the distinction between fantasy and reality
in this lively and captivating epic - which is highly readable and often
amusing. |
|
Clark, Mary Higgins |
When Nel loses her
husband after a bomb blows up his boat, she tries to look for
explanations and stumbles into some pretty deep waters. A satisfyingly
mysterious little story with a few creaks. |
|
Grisham, John |
It is September 1952
and the Arkansas cotton harvest season when rain and floods cause
disaster. Young Luke is part of a series of events which yank him out of
an idyllic childhood. I suspect that Grisham is delving nostalgically
back into his past in this novel. |
|
Jooste, Pamela |
Frieda is the
daughter of a poor musician, while Min has been brought up as a free
spirit by her doctor father. Their friendship is unusual, but endures
testing times in South Africa. |
|
Jose, Nicholas |
This is a skillfully
constructed and unusual novel set in China and based on a love story
spanning generations and cultures. Shen is an art appraiser in a
Shanghai auction house and Ruth an Australian artist. Their relationship
mirrors an old story, but the final chapter is missing. |
|
King, Stephen |
Another rousing tale
by this prolific author introduces us to a particularly nasty breed of
extra-terrestrials with dubious motives for visiting our planet. As
usual, King deals more with the assorted human characters and their
motives and reactions. Good stuff! |
|
Le Carre, John |
The wife of a
British diplomat in Kenya is brutally murdered in mysterious
circumstances. Her husband puts aside his fears and his career as he
unravels the truth about her life. As usual, le Carre storytelling is
superb and his style compelling.
|
|
Mankell, Henning |
Kurt Wallender is a
detective who is attempting to solve the murder of two men discovered in
a life raft between Sweden and Latvia. He finds himself embroiled in a
few dodgy manoevres in the unpredictable political situation in Latvia.
For those with a taste for the murder mystery this book is a little
different and a very good read. |
|
Palmer, Michael |
Dr Kate Bennett
identifies a mysterious illness in her hospital. As usual, power and
profit are the driving forces and the young pathologist runs a few nasty
risks before those behind this murky secret are brought to well-deserved
justice. A good nail-biter. |
|
Pilkington, Doris |
The daughter of one
of three stolen aboriginal girls who walked 1600 km to freedom has
painstakingly researched the background to the story and the route. The
story is quite remarkable and the book supplements the film. |
|
Rendell, Ruth |
A cast of unusual characters in the
suburbs of London find their lives intersecting after a chain of
murders. Jock is a conman and a philanderer who has not counted on the
reaction of one of his wives, even though he believes he has covered his
tracks! |
|
Shreve, Anita |
Maureen decides to
run away with her baby daughter to a Maine fishing town where she
assumes a new identity to hide from a violent and abusive husband. She
begins to settle in and form new friendships when her secret is
uncovered. A chilling story and a good read. |
|
Williams, Ian K
|
When a teacher in a
country town becomes involved in a shooting expedition, he does not
expect that buried feelings will erupt and that murder will follow. This
novel examines some of our deepest Australian prejudices. |
Books read and reviewed by Jenni van Wageningen
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