"River" Reads

The River Wife by Jonis Agee is "a sweeping, panoramic story that ranges from the New Madrid earthquake of 1811 through the Civil War to the bootlegging days of the 1930s.When the earthquake brings Annie Lark’s Missouri house down on top of her, she finds herself pinned under the massive roof beam, facing certain death. Rescued by French fur trapper Jacques Ducharme, Annie learns to love the strong, brooding man and resolves to live out her days as his “River Wife.” More than a century later, in 1930, Hedie Rails comes to Jacques’ Landing to marry Clement Ducharme, a direct descendant of the fur trapper and river pirate, and the young couple begin their life together in the very house Jacques built for Annie so long ago. When, night after late night, mysterious phone calls take Clement from their home, a pregnant Hedie finds comfort in Annie’s leather-bound journals. But as she reads of the sinister dealings and horrendous misunderstandings that spelled out tragedy for the rescued bride, Hedie fears that her own life is paralleling Annie’s, and that history is repeating itself with Jacques’ kin. Among the family’s papers, Hedie encounters three other strong-willed women who helped shape Jacques Ducharme’s life–Omah, the freed slave who took her place beside him as a river raider; his second wife, Laura, who loved money more than the man she married; and Laura and Jacques’ daughter, Maddie, a fiery beauty with a nearly uncontrollable appetite for love. Their stories, together with Annie’s, weave a haunting tale of this mysterious, seductive, and ultimately dangerous man, a man whose hand stretched over generations of women at a bend in the river where fate and desire collide. The River Wife richly evokes the nineteenth-century South at a time when lives changed with the turn of a card or the flash of a knife. Jonis Agee vividly portrays a lineage of love and heartbreak, passion and deceit, as each river wife comes to discover that blind devotion cannot keep the truth at bay, nor the past from haunting the present." (from Amazon.com)

Originally published twenty-five years ago, Platte River by Rick Bass is "one of the early collections that established Rick Bass’s reputation as a master of the short form and one of the best writers of his generation. It contains three novellas of contemporary America, each informed by the mysteries of nature and the heart. Set along borders, both physical and immaterial, all of the novellas combine a spare but radiant naturalism with an outsize aspiration to folklore or myth. In the title story, a former pro linebacker living a simple, isolated life in the Canadian woods just across the border from Montana struggles with his artist girlfriend’s desire to escape. Invited by his best friend from their college football days to give a talk at the school where the friend now teaches, he flies to northern Michigan. In the class the next morning, after a night fishing party on the Platte River, what he learns brings acceptance, and a kind of salvation. In “Mahatma Joe,” a despairing evangelist living in a valley that was once so wild the people would go naked when the Chinook winds blew, announcing winter’s end, throws his fervor into planting a garden along the river, bringing purpose to the young woman who had camped there. “Field Events,” the most comic of the stories, begins when two athlete brothers spy an enormous, muscled man swimming in the river, hauling a canoe loaded with cast iron. Their plan to train him in the discus meets with complications, when the giant and their older sister find in each other the missing part that neither could articulate." (from Amazon.com)

In River's Edge by Terri Blackstock, "a small-town scandal quickly turns into a national media event. Is the murderer one of the obvious suspects . . . or someone they have no reason to doubt? Ben Jackson is going head to head with Jonathan Cleary in Cape Refuge’s mayoral race—and he’s even expected to win—when his wife Lisa turns up missing the day before the major debate. Suddenly the town is in turmoil as proof of an alleged affair surfaces, indicating that Ben Jackson might have had motive to kill his wife. Meanwhile, newspaper owner Blair Owens has other suspicions—and so does Police Chief Cade. Together they dig deeply into the mysterious disappearance that soon spirals into a web of confusion, dark secrets, and unsettling fraud. Then the town’s psychic reveals the location of Lisa’s body—at the bottom of the river. Even though Blair doesn’t believe his paranormal gift is real, she can’t imagine how he knew where the body was. The small-town scandal quickly turns into a national media event. Is the murderer one of the obvious suspects . . . or someone they have no reason to doubt?" (from Amazon.com)

Lost River by Stephen Booth is the 10th novel in the multiple award-winning Cooper & Fry series, set in England's beautiful and atmospheric Peak District. "A May Bank Holiday in the Peak District is ruined by the tragic drowning of an eight-year-old girl in picturesque Dovedale. For Detective Constable Ben Cooper, a helpless witness to the tragedy, the incident is not only traumatic, but leads him to become involved in the tangled lives of the Nields, the dead girl's family. As he gets to know them, Cooper begins to suspect that one of them is harbouring a secret - a secret that the whole family might be willing to cover up. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Diane Fry has a journey of her own to make - a journey back to her roots. As she finds herself drawn into an investigation of her own among the inner-city streets of Birmingham, Fry realises there is only one person she can rely on to provide the help she needs. But that man is Ben Cooper, and he's back in Derbyshire, where his suspicions are leading him towards a shocking discovery on the banks of another Peak District river..."(from Amazon.com)

Have You Tried Acorn TV Yet?

Through our subscription with RB Digital, our patrons have access to Acorn TV.  Acorn TV brings world-class mysteries, dramas, and comedies from Britain and beyond to library patrons through a streaming video service to any Web-connected device. including :

• Feature Films (including 'Cider with Rosie', 'Murder on the Orient Express', and 'A Voyage Round My Father')
• Comedies (including 'Agatha Raisin', 'Cradle to Grave', and 'Raised by Wolves')
• Mysteries (including 'Jericho of Scotland Yard', 'The Agatha Christie Hour', and 'Hamish MacBeth')
• Documentaries (including 'Being Poirot', 'Lords and Ladles', and 'A Stitch in Time')
• And more!

Enjoy watching the programs you want to watch when you want to watch them.  Just go to our catalog page - https://wcvpl.biblionix.com/catalog/ .  Under Electronic Resources, click on RB Digital and set up your account if you aren't already using them to access our eBooks and eMagazines.

From the RB Digital page, select Acorn TV.  Once on their page, select whichever show you would like to start with and press the checkout button.  You will have 7 days of unlimited access to the Acorn library of programs.  Enjoy!

Newest from Author Ann Cleeves

     The newest addition to the Vera Stanhope series of murder mysteries by Ann Cleeves is called Harbour Street.
     The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is in full swing in Newcastle. Detective Joe Ashworth and his daughter Jessie find themselves swept along in a raucous crowd and onto the Metro, but, when the train has to be stopped due to poor weather conditions, Jessie notices that one lady hasn't disembarked. Her name is Margaret Krukowski and she has been fatally stabbed.
     Joe's gov'ner, Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope arrives on the scene to take charge of the case. She stands on the platform at the station and surveys the surroundings. She can feel in her bones that this is going to be a complex and unusual case. Truth be told, Vera is glad for the distraction from all of the holiday revelry.
     A few days later, another woman from Margaret Krukowski's neighborhood is murdered and Vera knows that to solve both cases, she is going to have to figure out why Margaret was so worried in the weeks leading up to her death. She knows there is a link somewhere, but the residents of Harbour Street are reluctant to speak to the police. They are hell-bent on closing ranks to keep outsiders from intruding into their lives. Retracing Margaret's final movements may be the only way to piece together what deep dark secrets the neighbors on this street are keeping. At what point, though, do silent witnesses become complicit in the crime itself?
     This riveting British police procedural uses sharp prose and an eye for forensic detail to tell the age old story of how keeping secrets can be deadly.  

Remember, if you enjoy the Vera Stanhope character, the library also has several seasons of the television drama Vera starring Brenda Blethyn as the detective inspector herself.
   

Season 11 of "New Tricks"

     As season 11 of this hit British cop series opens, the retired detectives of the Unsolved Crimes and Open Case Squad (UCOS) have a new boss. Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman (Amanda Redman) was offered a position with INTERPOL toward the end of season 10; and now, beautiful and young DCI Sasha Miller (Tamzin Outhwaite) has taken over as gov'ner of this motley crew of veteran detectives. Also missing is the eccentric, but brilliant Brian "Memory" Lane (Alun Armstrong), whose antics were always interesting to watch. Replacing Brian is the scientifically minded detective, Danny Griffin (Nicholas Lyndhurst), who has his own set of quirks. Joining Danny and Sasha are no-nonsense Scotsman Steve McAndrew (Denis Lawson), and (the solo holdout from the original team) Gerry "last man" Standing (Dennis Waterman). This unlikely powerhouse team use their considerable experience and classic skills to solve daunting cases; and it doesn't hurt that they also use a great deal of humor to offset the bleakness of their work. They find themselves tackling crimes involving antinuclear protesters, battle reenactors, an amateur sleuth, illegal immigrants, and state secrets from the Cold War era.

     I wasn't sure how I would like the replacement characters this season, but I have to admit that they have grown on me quite a bit. I also love that each episode isn't just about the case-of-the-week; there are also personal stories that allow a glimpse into each individual's family and past.

 *Warning: Spoilers* 

     Sasha has to work in the building with her lying, cheating, good-for-nothing ex-husband who also happens to be a command officer. Last season, we learn that Danny has a wheelchair-bound daughter named Holly. This season we learn why she is in a wheelchair and what happened to her mother. We also learn that Steve has reconnected with his son after ten years and that Steve's abusive father is dying. Gerry's family life is also a bit in chaos. His youngest daughter is about to marry a *gasp* solicitor (lawyer) and the angst that Gerry inflicts on his soon-to-be-son-in-law makes for a bit of fun. Sadly, it looks like the actor who plays Gerry, Dennis Waterman, will be leaving the show in season 12.

     These stories and the chemistry between these characters have kept this popular series going for a long time now. I hope to see more of these characters' antics in the future. They really do prove that you CAN teach an old dog New Tricks!

New British (and Irish) Mysteries on DVD

Anyone who knows me can be sure that I am one of the first in line for any new British mystery series that we may get on DVD. Two of our newest are Jack Taylor Set 2 and Rosemary & Thyme: the Complete Collection.

     Jack Taylor is based upon a series of books by Irish author Ken Bruen. The second set includes the episodes: "The Dramatist," "Priest," and "Shot Down." Each one is a feature-length episode. The titular character is a former member of the Irish Guards who left the job before he was kicked out, taking only his Guard coat. The stories take place in Galway, Ireland and the setting offers a sufficiently bleak and gritty backdrop for these dramas. Taylor is a completely fallible ex-cop who, in the second series, is trying to give up on drinking and is taking care of his ailing mother. In "The Dramatist," Taylor is tasked with finding the murderer of a young woman who has fallen to her death from one of the buildings at the university. The Guard believe that she has suffered from a drug overdose, but one of her professors is convinced otherwise and asks Taylor for help. After his mother succumbs to another stroke in the middle of his investigation and dies, Taylor seems to lose his way once more and returns to drinking. Taylor's young assistant goes undercover at the university to find out more information about the girl and finds out that another young woman is missing as well. In "Priest," Taylor is asked to look into the beheading of a priest. He discovers that the victim had abused two boys several years earlier and now, it seems, that the victims have taken revenge on their abuser. Taylor must wade through some pretty dark secrets in the church to find the killer. All the while, Taylor is slipping back into his bad habits and his demons are rearing their familiar heads. In "Shot Down," Jack Taylor leaves his home in Galway for Dublin, hoping to abate his grief. Once there, he gets involved in a traveler's feud and he meets a young girl named Rosie. She witnessed her mother's murder, but has suppressed the memory. Taylor must help her remember what happened before the killer strikes again. All-in-all, I love this series. It is a little darker than most of the series that I watch, but it is worth it to see Iain Glen (Game of Thrones). I also think that it's nice to see stories from Ireland that aren't all leprechauns, shamrocks, and shenanigans.

     Rosemary & Thyme is a British cozy mystery that ran for twenty-two episodes from 2003-2006. It stars Felicity Kendal as Rosemary Boxer and Pam Ferris as Laura Thyme. Laura is a housewife and former policewoman whose husband leaves her for a younger woman after more than twenty years of marriage. Her only regret is having to leave the beautiful garden she tended at their home together. She meets Rosemary, a university lecturer in horticulture, who has just lost her job and has agreed to look into the dying gardens of an acquaintance. The two women team up to find out what is going on with the garden and to find out who has killed Laura's friend. The series takes place in some very beautiful gardens all over England and Europe. There always seems to be a mystery to solve along with the tilling of the soil. These are fun, light-hearted mysteries that will have you cheering for these two strong-willed and hard-working women. Throughout the series, you meet Laura's two children along with a string of characters and villains. These two don't always get it right on the first try, but by the end, they have solved the mystery and helped many a garden to bloom.

British Mysteries on DVD

I have recently finished two new British Mystery series on DVD. The first one is Death in Paradise (Season 1) and it stars Ben Miller (Primeval, Johnny English) as the pent-up and proper Detective Inspector Richard Poole. DI Poole has been sent from Scotland Yard to the Caribbean Island of Saint Marie to solve the murder of a fellow police officer. he encounters an island full of colorful characters and a police station manned by an equally raucous crew. Paired with DI Poole is Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey (Sara Martins). Where Poole is up-tight and a little OCD; Camille is laid back and free-spirited. Needless to say, these two but horns at almost every turn, but Camille and her mother, Catherine, take every opportunity to try to get the DI to relax. Adding to Poole's headaches are Officer Dwayne Myers (Danny John-Jules) and Fidel Best (Gary Carr). Dwayne just wants to revel in the island that he loves so much. Fidel is a about to be a new father and while quite competent, he is a little on the green side when it comes to police work, but he is more than willing to learn. This eight episode season is full of character driven stories without all the blood and gore of grittier police shows and it is peppered with enough humor to keep it light and watchable.

The second set of British mysteries I've watched recently is called Scott & Bailey (Season 1). It stars Lesley Sharp (The Full Monty, Cranford) as Detective Constable Janet Scott and Suranne Jones (Coronation Street) as Detective Constable Rachel Bailey. This show is more serious and drama driven than the other series discussed here. DC Scott is the sensible, family-oriented detective. She is kind, intelligent and a by-the-book copper. DC Bailey is a single woman with a penchant for the wrong men. She, too, is intelligent and good at her job, but she is more likely to bend the rules than her partner. These two ladies are best friends as well as partners. They may not always see eye-to-eye, but when things get hairy they have each other's backs. This series doesn't have a lot of gore either, even though the cases are more gritty and urban than Death in Paradise. This is definitely a buddy-cop show and well worth watching.