Highlighting this month three authors, all female, but not all being “chickie” books.
The first is one of the earlier books written by Judith McNaught, entitled UNTIL YOU, a semi-historical romance that is short on history, but long on the female character’s clothes.  This is a very typical ‘boy meets girl’ plot with all the fall out.  Ms. McNaught’s other two books were much more interesting and more conducive to cover an entertaining plot.  One gives some of the pits and highlights in the retail industry and another detailing the constant antagonistic life between a tyrannical father, and how she eventually breaks that bond.
Next is another sterling book by Elizabeth Lowell, whose books are heavily and deeply researched concerning the area and history in which the characters are embroiled.  This time in THE WRONG HOSTAGE she returns again to the Southern California-Tijuana and including Ensenada in the areas of  Mexico.  Her comments concerning the American Government involvement of the Mexican economy, though hidden to our people,  are astute and on point.
However, this book is once again a winner involving the quasi-hidden firm, St. Kilda, that goes where the police force and U.S.  Government cannot go involving cases of kidnapping and extortion.
The protagonist, Judge Grace Silva, a Federal Judge, learns via a “not very nice” telephone call that her son has been kidnapped by the most powerful leaders of  a Mexican drug cartel, fighting for supremacy.  He is being held ransom until her former husband returns the millions of dollars he “borrowed” from the Mexican cartel.
Well written, the history of the drug cartels and the Mexican economy are fascinating.  But then, Ms. Lowell does a complete and thorough  job of putting everything together.
Kristin Hannah was an author I thought of as light and fluffy; her books being easily and quickly penned.  But she has taken me by surprise with her latest, A MOCKINGBIRD.  Set in France, both in Paris and a neighboring village, in the year 1939 with the German occupation, and continuing to late 1995, Ms. Hannah has amazed me with the depth of involvement in the lives of the villagers under occupation and the characters, the country, and customs as well.
The book speaks of the hardships of the refugees from Paris as they struggle down the road leaving Paris; the lack of food, water, and a place to rest awaits each step.  I cannot imagine how I would function during such a catastrophe; of the days spent walking and walking and walking while attempting to carry a load of important possessions; those that soon become littered along the road side. Through heat and dust and pure exhaustion and pain, multitudes of Parisians continued to another safer area of their country.
And the two sisters, who in their way, fight against the occupation and survive unbelievable odds; a story that many have lived many times before by many women at that time.
I know I’ve used the following quote for several years, but it really makes sense:
Just think about it!
“When An Old Person Dies, A Library Burns Down!”
Karen Gillespie
And we certainly don’t want our Library to burn down!