So Long, Chester Wheeler

 

So Long, Chester Wheeler: A Novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Seattle, Lake Union Publishing, 2022. 224 pages. Book Discussion Guide. **** Publication Date December 6, 2022.

Lewis Madigan is young, gay, out of work, and just discovered that his boyfriend is moving on without him. Home all day living next door to Chester, his cranky, rude, homophobic neighbor convinces him that he needs a job now. Since Chester has offended and gone through all of the home health nursing agencies, his daughter is desperate and dangles a large sum of money in front of Lewis for him to step in. The only requirements: run errands, be on call, and put up with Chester.  Can Lewis put aside his loathing and care for Chester? When asked to fulfill a dying man's last wish, will Lewis refuse or accept the mission? 

I know when I read Hyde's novels, there will be tears, love, hope, and acceptance. It is so easy to dislike Chester and in the words of Lewis, "I'm always tempted to say hate, but I feel that 's a line I never want to cross." A doctor recently asked me why some older people are so miserable, unhappy, and mean, while others are pleasant, happy, and so nice? An answer requires knowledge of the person's health, finances, and family. Through Chester we get a look at how his past and choices made him who he is today and a glimpse at how Lewis grows with his experience. Given my age, I can relate to Lewis and Chester's struggles. I didn't want this heart-warming story to end and find myself wondering where Lewis is now and what is he doing, the true sign of a good book. Perfect for a Book Club choice, many topics to discuss and explore.

I received an ecopy for a review. 

Other Hyde books reviewed by me: 

Dreaming of Flight

Seven Perfect Things

My Name is Anton  

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl

Have You Seen Luis Velez?

Just After Midnight

Heaven Adjacent

The Wake Up

Allie and Bea

Say Goodbye For Now

Ask Him Why

Worthy

Catherine Ryan Hyde is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of more than forty published and forthcoming books. An avid traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer, she shares her astrophotography with readers on her website.

From Catherine Ryan Hyde:

"In addition to my writing, over the past few years I’ve done a lot of professional public speaking. I was privileged to speak at the National Conference on Education and at Cornell University. I even got to share a dais with Bill Clinton for three speeches. And I was invited to the White House for the movie screening of Pay It Forward."

For more information on the author, click here: Her Youtube Channel 

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Wait for Me

 

Wait for Me by Sara Shepard. New York: Union Square & Co, 2022. 322 pages. ****

YA. Reading age 14-18 years. 

Casey Rhodes wears many disguises, each one a costume for a different situation. Casey feels it is easier to assume a persona than to be her true self. When she is with her rich, cultured boyfriend, the most eligible bachelor in New York City, she's well-dressed, gorgeous, sure of herself Casey. A crack apppears in her perfect life when she hears a menacing voice in her ear, "You've been a bad girl." Casey begins to feel uneasy and can't understand where the voice is coming from and why does she get flashes of herself in places she doesn't know and who is the mysterious stranger lurking at the edge of her memory? To clear her head and study for finals, Casey chooses an unknown to her shore town and is further confused when the townspeople seem to recognize and know her. 

Shepard has created an amazing blend of mystery, romance, and a hint of past lives. Best known for her Pretty Little Liars series, this novel captures your attention from the very beginning and leaves you guessing as to what is really going on with Casey. Mystery follows her in the handsome stranger, Will, who seems so familiar and comfortable, however, she loves Marcus, doesn't she? Well-crafted, the reader will be guessing until the very end. The intended audience is Teen and Young Adult, however, as a mature Adult, I enjoyed it.  I read it in two days, and it is the perfect escape read. 

I received an copy for a review. 

Sara Shepard Sara is a Canadian-American woman, as her father was born in America, while her mother was born in Toronto. She was raised in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Downingtown High School in 1995. She later attended New York University, where she graduated with a B.S. degree in 1999 and an MFA from Brooklyn College in 2004.

She currently resides in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania with her husband of many years, and their children. The family also has three dogs and one cat.

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Secrets of the Nile

 

Secrets of the Nile: A Lady Emily Mystery (Lady Emily Mysteries Book 16) by Tasha Alexander. New York: Minotaur Books, 2022. 320 pages. ****

It is 1904 and Lady Emily agrees to accompany her husband, his difficult mother and recently discovered daughter, on a vacation to Luxor, Egypt. Lord Bertram Deeley, an amateur British collector of antiquities, has invited them for a leisurely cruise up the Nile and then a stay at his house. On the first night of their journey, Lord Deeley collapses, presumed dead by cyanide. Presumably the dinner guests are his closest friends, who among them is the killer? 

An alternate story emerges of Meryt, a young woman in ancient Egypt who is a master sculptor. Loved by her family and despised by her jealous sister-in-law, Meryt is asked by her father to make his "Ushabtis, an essential part of his funereal equipment, to stand in for him when he is called on to do work in the afterlife. " These three-thousand-year-old figures play a key role in determining Lord Deeley's killer. 

Agatha Christie and Amelia Peabody fans will love this latest novel in the Lady Emily series. Rich with the history, sights and sounds of Egypt, I didn't want it to end. Emily and Colin are at their best interviewing the staff, guests, and potential suspects, while trying to have some time to themselves. Alexander is a master storyteller with the humor of Elizabeth Peters and the cunning of Agatha Christie. Historical fiction at its best.

I received an ecopy for a review.

TASHA ALEXANDER is the author of the New York Times bestselling Lady Emily mystery series. The daughter of two philosophy professors, she studied English literature and medieval history at the University of Notre Dame. She and her husband, novelist Andrew Grant, live on a ranch in southeastern Wyoming. Her claim to fame is "New York Times Bestselling author,  Cook, Book Junkie and Master of Packing Light." Follow Tasha at https://www.tashaalexander.com

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The Kind To Kill

 

The Kind To Kill (A Shana Merchant Novel Book 4) by Tessa Wegert. Edinburgh: Severn House, 2022. 313 pages  Kindle Edition ***

Senior Investigator Shana Merchant can't help that she has a serial killer in her family, and it won't be easy to regain the trust of her community. The fact that she hid the identity of the killer and was one of his kidnapped victims doesn't help her reputation as an investigator.

When a tourist goes missing just as the town is preparing for the annual Pirate Days Festival, the eyes of her department and everyone she knows are on her. Cancelling the Event is not even a consideration, so it is up to Shana to find the missing woman before the Festival begins. Last seen arguing with her husband in the hotel parking lot, he is the prime suspect until her disappearance is tied to others. 

I received a copy for a review.

This is my first Shana Merchant novel, and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I will probably go back and read the other 3 in the series even though it is a cohesive story as a standalone.  Psychological thrillers are my favorite genre, and I was drawn in from the very beginning. The story kept my attention until the very end. Somewhat predictable, with a few surprises along the way. fun, escapism!

From her website "Tessa Wegert is the author of the popular Shana Merchant novels, which include Death in the Family, The Dead Season, Dead Wind, and The Kind to Kill. A former digital media strategist and freelance journalist, Tessa has contributed to such publications as Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Economist, and The Globe and Mail. Raised in Quebec, she now lives with her husband and children in Connecticut, where she studies martial arts and is co-president of Sisters in Crime CT." For more information about Tessa, https://www.tessawegert.com

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