Are you finding it hard to choose your next read? We are here to make it easier! Take a look at what books are trending in the library this month.
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April’s Trending Titles 2023
Monthly Archives: April 2023
Book Review The Thursday Murder Club
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Summary
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders.
But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case.
Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it’s too late?
Comments
We all enjoyed this highly implausible but engaging romp set in a retirement village in England. We felt that it was a fresh, authentic take on a murder mystery story where elderly characters were created with respect and dignity. There was a sense of community and commonality despite each main character coming from disparate backgrounds, each bringing a skill and perspective that allowed them to work cooperatively together. At the heart of the story is Elizabeth, a former spy, who manages the group’s investigation while Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim ably support her. Each character is interesting and sympathetically portrayed with a plot that keeps you guessing. We look forward to reading more books in this series.
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Book Review Lessons In Chemistry
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Summary
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.
But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. Forced to resign, she reluctantly signs on as the host of a cooking show, Supper at Six. But her revolutionary approach to cooking, fuelled by scientific and rational commentary, grabs the attention of a nation.
Soon, a legion of overlooked housewives find themselves daring to change the status quo. One molecule at a time.
Comments
Lessons in Chemistry is the story of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist in the 1960s, trapped by her gender in a male dominated industry. She unwittingly finds herself the star of a TV cookery show.
Our book club thoroughly enjoyed this book. Some felt it was like a modern fairy tale but found it fresh with many interwoven layers. The themes of education, discrimination, relationships, love, loss, motherhood, science and protection are some of the complexities in Elizabeth’s life but it is a hopeful story.
Every character has a voice, even the dog, adding humour and a depth of understanding of human nature and how people cope with what they have been dealt with in life. A satisfying, absorbing read that we are happy to recommend.
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