The River

The River by Peter Heller is a peaceful boat ride through a series of lakes...until it is not.

Wynn and Jack have one month to traverse a series of lakes and a river ending in Hudson Bay in northern Canada. They both love to fish, canoe, and be in nature. They have allotted themselves more time than it should take so they can enjoy the peace and solitude.

During a foggy evening, they hear a man and woman arguing from the shore. They give the couple a wide berth so not to intrude.

The next day, in the next lake, the wind shifts and Wynn and Jack smell smoke. Jack climbs a tree and sees a huge forest fire racing toward them. No more taking their time.

They agree to warn the couple they passed, but when they go back to the previous lake they cannot find anyone. The make up the lost miles and camp at the top of the first set of falls on the river.

Before they carry their boat and supplies down the trail to the bottom of the large waterfall, they see a man in a canoe. He is alone and looks lost. When they call him over - saving him from going over the falls - he is disoriented and confused. Is he the same man from the couple? If so, where is his wife?

Heller writes beautifully. His story flows like a river. He makes readers want to paddle this set of lakes even in spite of the second half of the book where there may be a killer and there is definitely a huge forest fire coming for the characters. This is a great read that will fly by but and stick with you for a while. A perfect summer read.

Heller, Peter. (2019). The River. New York: Alfred A Knopf.

Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II

Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff is the tale of a series of plane crashes in Greenland near the end of WWII. As well as the current day plan to recover a Grumman Duck amphibious airplane lost on the ice with three Coast Guard men.

In WWII the United States had bases in Greenland, both to keep the Atlantic free of German boats and U-boats and used as a stop while ferrying planes to England. When a cargo plane goes down on the Ice Cap, a few search planes are sent to look for it. These planes include a B-17 bomber with 9 on board. Instead of finding sign of the cargo plane, the B-17 crashes. What follows is a series of rescue attempts in a climate not made for man or machine.

The B-17 will not be the last plane to crash in the Winter of 1942-1943. An amphibious plane called the Grumman Duck will also become lost – after one successful rescue of part of the crew of the B-17.

In 2012 an expedition back to Greenland was approved by the Coast Guard to find the Duck and bring back the missing men – the only MIA Coast Guardsmen unaccounted for. Zuckoff attaches himself to the expedition, becoming a subject in his own book.

The tale of the men trapped on the Ice Cap is one with the suspense of how and if they will survive. Zuckoff’s nonfiction tale flows with the narration of a good novel. If you are a fan of WWII, planes, extreme lands or daring rescues, this is the book for you!

Zuckoff, Mitchell (2014). Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II. New York: Harper.

The Stories You Tell (Roxane Weary #3)

The Stories You Tell by Kristen Lepionka is the third book in her mystery series featuring private detective Roxane Weary.

When Roxane’s brother calls her in the middle of the night, she is not too surprised. They are both night owls. He tells Roxane that an ex-co-worker he has not seen in a couple of years just came to his apartment. She was clearly scared. She borrowed his phone and then ran out the door. He wants to hire Roxane to make sure Addison is okay.

When Roxane starts to look for Addison Stowe, she finds that the place she works – a seedy club called Nightshade – is mysteriously closed. Her roommate has not seen her but thinks she can home after seeing Roxane’s brother, and Addison’s best friends have not heard from her.

Lepionka weaves a mystery about the people we are in real life versus the online presence we present to the world. Her characters are wonderful and flawed. Her storytelling is addictive, and her mysteries are well thought out. These are great summer reads. Readers will follow Weary on all of her future adventures.

Lepionka, Kristen. (2019). The Stories You Tell. New York: Minotaur.

The Huntress

The Huntress by Kate Quinn is a brilliant novel of espionage, war, and revenge.

Ian Graham was a war correspondent during WWII. After the war he has become a Nazi hunter. All of the people who took part in the genocide, who need to be held accountable even though many are tired of hearing about the war, still need to face a court room. Graham has found a few, with the help of his partner Tony – a US soldier from Queens, New York.

The person Ian needs to find, known as the Huntress, or die Jägerin, is a woman who murdered many during the war. Including Ian’s brother, a pilot who escaped a German POW camp. Nina Markova, a Russian pilot from Siberia, was with Ian’s brother when he was killed. She has sworn to hunt down the Huntress and avenge his death. No one has heard a word about the Huntress since the end of the war.

Jordan McBride is a high school student and photographer. She dreams of being a photojournalist. She lives in Boston with her father who owns an antique store. When her father brings a woman he is interested in home to dinner, Jordan is happy for him. But there is something unsettling about the soft-spoken, German-accented woman.

Quinn is an amazing storyteller. If you have not read this book, buy it today! Go now! The story, the twists and turns, the characters, are all crafted into the best book you will read this year.

Quinn, Kate. (2019). The Huntress. New York: William Morrow.