The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

Did you ever see the Broadway show Hamilton?  If you haven't, you can watch it on Disney+.  It is an amazing show.  Not only is the story fascinating, but the coordination and talent is unbelievable.  There is a donut-like circle in the floor.  It has a stable center, but the donut part turns continuously.  The actors sing and dance on and off this pastry turntable.  All the while dancing, turning back and forth, stepping on and off the rotating part.  It makes me dizzy just to write about it.  I cannot begin to fathom the practice this took.  Those actors are the most coordinated people, with the best balance anywhere!  That isn't even the best part.  The whole thing is teaching you history, making it human...real.  Exactly how history should be taught.  With respect to all history teachers, names and dates are meaningless without the who and why. Places like Colonial Williamsburg do this well, you see and hear Thomas Jefferson roaming the streets, hear the whispering of the revolutionary war.  It is so much easier to understand when history is whole, whether it is a destination, or musical theater or is a smart intriguing book.  There are several wonderful writers of history and historical fiction, lucky for us readers.  Hubby loves this kind of book, and he wants to tell you about a good one.

I recently read The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig. Despite the modern day standing of the neighborhood, this novel takes us back over two hundred and twenty years, to the bustling times of a quite young United States. We are following Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton.  They work together in their roles as lawyers to save a man from a murder conviction.

The research is incredible throughout, and we learn a surprising amount about the characters and the political background of the times. Still, this is a whodunit on a grand scale, with numerous potential suspects and the fate of a possibly innocent young man in the balance. The author gives us just the right amount of detail to set the scene and the personalities of the characters are well done. Very enjoyable right through the final pages, written no doubt with a quill by lamplight.

Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the early copy of this book.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

My sisters, the triplets, have a special bond that I'll never share.  I'll never be included, always the outsider.  I don't need to be part of their club; I'll settle for Costco. Not only is does the bulk shopping club offer four pounds of butter, but it is cheaper and not nearly as sassy as the triplets.  I bring this up because there is a group text that we all use. Last night the text notification "ding" was going off like telemarketers after two venti Starbucks, while the church bells rang at a royal wedding.  Nonstop.  They were watching the Oscars.  Now we all love movies, mostly because my parents did, but they take the award show to a whole new level.  Two of my sisters often have an Oscar party and were crushed when they couldn't get molds of the Oscar statue.  They wanted to make them in chocolate and wrap them in gold foil for party favors.  Anyway, last night I don't know what was going on, but they were definitely channeling movie critics Siskel and Ebert (google them). I now know more about movies, that I haven't seen, than I ever wanted to. Some of which I'm certain I don't want to see now.  Let's be honest, I'm still perplexed by the popularity of No Country for Old Men.  Heck, I'm still trying to figure out if the men in the white plastic in Star Wars are good guys or bad.   At least we weren't all in the same house.  This time I could get away from who wore the best dress, whose boobs are popping out, who had the best accent, and the "most magnificent set design!"  Sometimes distance is a good thing.

I recently read Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano.  If you are unaware of this series, shame on you.  This is the fifth in a four-book series.  Oh yes, you heard me correctly.  Maybe this is not true, but after the third book there were rumors would be only one more.  Indeed, book four wrapped everything up very nicely.  I was shocked when I discovered that there was going to be an additional book in the series.  Shocked and delighted.  You know there are those people that see a book they might like .... might.  They find out it is part of a big series and immediately purchase all the books, not knowing if the storyline or author is for them?  I am not one of those people.  I dip my toe into the pool, unwilling to jump into ice cold water or to waste money on a series I won't love.  However, run, don't walk and buy yourself this entire series.  Of course, this book and all her books could be read as a standalone, if you have no soul. Just trust me, you will enjoy them so much more if you read them in order.  The storyline builds from book to book, as do the characters and the relationships between them. Just do it...don't make me stop this car! (Any American ever on a car trip with their parents will understand this threat parents use to get kids to behave.) 

In this book, we, of course, follow Finlay and Vero.  Remember the busybody neighbor Mrs. Haggerty?  Well, she is in trouble.  A body has been found in her backyard!  Since her entire property has been declared a crime scene, she moves in the Finlay, Vero, and the two kids.  As lovers of the series can imagine, things get bananas.  The daughter gets suspended from school for fighting, the boy refuses to wear any clothes, taking his pants off without warning. (So does my husband, maybe it is a male thing...flaunting...whatever.) Finally, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared but now Finlay's ex-husband, Steven, is being held for the murder.  Now Finlay and Vero must solve the case to get Steven off the hook. 

As with all the books in this series, this is hilariously funny.  The dialog is perfect, sarcasm mixed with heart.  The book reads quickly, leaving you wanting more.  Sweet, laugh out loud funny, suspenseful, interesting.... just add all the good words you know right here.  With the world going wild around us, when eggs are being sold for almost ten bucks a dozen is the least of the bad things happening, you need this book. Your stress level will thank you.  

Hugs and kisses to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy.  It was just like Christmas!