Onto the books our group have read this month.
The Memoir of Mary Soames, youngest daughter of Winston Churchill, shared stories from her remarkable life. The Tea Ladies of St. Jude’s Hospital by Joanna Nell a funny and entertaining read about the café in St. Jude’s Hospital. The author, Joanna Nell, specialises in mature age fiction and also wrote The Single Ladies of the Jacaranda Retirement Village. Margaret really enjoyed Beneath the Southern Cross written by popular author Judy Nunn, woven through the story were events that actually happened in Australia. Out of the Box by siblings Isabelle, Kerry and Emily shared memories and lessons learnt, highlighting the relationship between mother and daughter, a nice book to read. Phosphorescence by Julia Baird, an inspiring investigation into how we can find internal happiness, this book won the Australian Book Industry Book of the Year in 2021. Shirley also enjoyed Botany Bay: The First Fleet and back further in history Elizabeth the First, a woman before her time. Lorraine read The Heron’s Cry by Anne Cleves, this was not a `Vera’ book and introduced a new hero. The White Earth, by Andrew McGahan, is the story of white settlement in Outback Queensland and the cost to the original inhabitants. Dancing with the Enemy by Diane Armstrong was an interesting read set in German occupied Jersey. Noelle came with her usual good reads including The Year We Seized the Day by Colin Falconer and Elizabeth Best, how friendship developed whilst trekking the 800km Camino Trail in Spain. The Almost Perfect Murder by John Suter-Linton is the true story of an estranged wife of a serving police officer found dead in her Canberra home. The Spider and the Fly, a beautifully written poem by Mary Howitt was written in 1829. French Spirits by Jeffrey Greene, when Jeffrey and his wife to be discover a neglected house in Burgundy they set about restoring it. The Road Back by Di Morrissey was a light and easy read, as was Stella and Margie by Glenna Thompson, this book has references to Benalla. Iris Johansen is the author of The Search, part of an elite K-9 rescue team Sarah and her Golden Retriever have a gift for finding what no-one else can. Great excitement when recently published The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley was found, didn’t want it to finish.
A good roundup of books this month.
See you in October.
Geraldine McCorkell