Karen's Top 5 of 2022
I always look forward to a new Daniel Silva book and, once again, meeting the main character, Gabriel Allon, like an old friend. He's now retired from Israeli intelligience. Back to enjoying his love of art, he finds himself immersed in the world of forged masterpieces. If you like a good "sting" operation, you will absolutely love reading this book!
You're 10 years old and every summer you and your brother swim at Venice beach and have fun. But your 13 year old brother decides "not this summer." So, disappointment turns to anticipation when a new boy, Frankie, arrives to visit with Uncle Phillip upstairs. And...Frankie has been following a mystery...very scary newspaper stories about the "Midnight Maurader." Can they solve the mystery? Are there secrets right at home that need to be revealed? During this long hot summer, there's much to learn about friendship, about accepting differences and, just maybe, solving a mystery. An excellent book for young readers!
Modern day science, art and civil war history collide in this surprising story of horse racing in the 1850's, when young, enslaved boys were forced to become jockeys, groomers and trainers. It's the story of Jarret, a young man longing to be free, and Lexington, the horse destined to become one of the greatest race horses. The life they lived with such courage and hope, helped them both to survive many heartbreaking challenges. A truly great story!
Great wine, good food and exceptional friends living in a small Italian town...all I need to visit, once again, one of my favorite book characters, ex-detective Nico Doyle, as he attempts to solve another murder in Tuscany. This is book 3 in the series by Trinchieri, and the author does not disappoint. For armchair travelers, as well as those who've visited Italy, visualizing the Italian countryside, while maybe sipping a glass of wine as you try to solve the mystery, makes this book a most entertaining and fun read.
A small town in which everyone knows one another and most secrets are no longer hidden, it comes as a shock when Jimmy O'Reilly is found dead on one of the many rocky beaches in Ireland. Who could have done it? A message and a vial of veterinarian medication lay near-by. A mystery for Detective Inspector O'Brien and newly arrived veterinarian, Dimpna Wilde, to solve. Numerous suspects and a twisted story make this Irish mystery a good read and a good beginning for a possible new series.