Michele:
Kathleen:
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Osman’s first novel, set in a retirement home full of sharp-witted seniors. This mystery is a treat for all of us who love mysteries and February, after all, is the month to pursue what you love.
Jeanine:
The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline
Seduced by her employer’s son, Evangeline, a naïve young governess in early nineteenth-century London, is discharged when her pregnancy is discovered and sent to the notorious Newgate Prison. After months in the fetid, overcrowded jail, she learns she is sentenced to ‘the land beyond the seas,’ Van Diemen’s Land, a penal colony in Australia. Though uncertain of what awaits, Evangeline knows one thing: the child she carries will be born on the months-long voyage to this distant land. During the journey on a repurposed slave ship, the Medea, Evangeline strikes up a friendship with Hazel, a girl little older than her former pupils who was sentenced to seven years transport for stealing a silver spoon.
Sophie:
Almost, Maine by John Caraiani
The heartwarming play about the northernmost, emptiest part of Maine, has now been turned into a novel, using the stories that so captivated his audience in the play, and fleshing out the interior thoughts of the characters as well as adding a new story. It is sweet and charming, and a perfect read for a cozy winter day.