[mc4wp_form id="1782"]

Category: Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Posted on

Bernie Mireault’s The Jam: A Superhero Story Rooted in Reality

My copy of The Jam in hand. Photo by author

Comic writer and artist Bernie Mireault died this month. He was 63. I was not familiar with him or his work, but my friend and collaborator Nat Gertler,  wearing his About Comics publisher’s hat, worked with Mr. Mireault to get his much-lauded comic, The Jam, back into print.

In the remembrances that followed Mireault’s passing, his work was praised and cited as being too little known for how well-regarded it is. He was described as a cartoonist’s cartoonist. About Comics made their reprint available at cost for about a week, so I grabbed a copy to see for myself what everyone was talking about.

The story opens with our would-be hero, a mere mortal, getting the upper hand in a mugging about to go very wrong. That’s something I really loved here — The Jam is about a superhero who is not superhuman. He’s a guy who wants to see some good in the world and has realized he can be part of that good. But, darker forces are gathering. Disillusioned young men are being drawn to a leader with a plan, and soon enough, the Jam has pissed off the Devil himself. So, if you read The Tick and thought, I wish this had a dash of Sandman, well, you’re in the right longbox.

Mireault’s The Jam is great! The writing and art are a lot of fun, and very well done. It’s a grownup comic, but not quite what modern marketing people would call “gritty.” There was also something really charming about the art that reminded me of, well, The Tick or old concert posters of the era. That late-1980s indie comic feel, from the black-and-white explosion. But story also felt rooted in a very real vision of a real city. There’s also a ton of technical know-how and thought going into each panel, each word balloon. I realized I was analyzing the lettering at various points, and thinking about how crazy it is, but still really well done, really fun. Reading The Jam made me think, “Yeah, comics are good.”

If you like the sound of that, The Jam is available in print through About Comics.

But, I should note that comics are rarely kind, or just. If you are having thoughts of suicide, you can reach out for support by texting or calling 988. The helpline is available 24/7 across the US and all of its territories.

Don’t miss a thing and sign up for my newsletter!

Inside pages of The Jam comic book, featuring black and white comic art with action throughout several panels.
Sample pages courtesy AboutComics.com

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

Posted on

Michael Kupperman’s All the Answers and Child Performers in Monster Trucks

Small monster truck, Skull Krusher Mini, in static display, shown atop a crushed silver BMW sedan.

This weekend I read All the Answers by Michael Kupperman. It’s a fascinating graphic novel about Michael grappling with his father’s previous fame and pain. His father, Joel Kupperman, was a child celebrity in the 1940s and ’50s and the fallout thereafter, into Micheal’s life was not only painful but confusing. It’s wonderfully drawn, capturing the feel of the 1940s and the feeling of memory, of reconstructing from scant information. Parts of it look half-remembered, or places where a newspaper clipping stands though there is no personal memory. As a historian reading this, I recognized these sensations in the art.

Cover of the book All the Answers by Michael Kupperman.
All the Answers by Michael Kupperman

Micheal Kupperman‘s drawing is excellent (this has really never been a question). His own appearance throughout, of himself, is of a haunted man — at least to me. And that’s what this story is really about. The ghosts we live with, the ghosts that surround us, the ghosts of our own making. Ghosts that become ancient in our lives as generational pain passes on, reconfiguring itself into whatever form it needs to survive into the next generation.

Drawn in stark black-and-white, this story is quite gray. Gradations of memory, impression, and hunch. Kupperman has extracted the history as best he could, given his father’s refusal to talk about his experiences as a child star of the show Quiz Kids. And later, his father’s detachment from his past as he slipped into dementia.

The images Kupperman has drawn representing the promotional photographs of his father as a boy on Quiz Kids stand out in my mind. Laid into the context of his father’s experience and how it affected him and how that experience hurt him, and how his father passed down that pain generationally was fascinating and heartbreaking.

A really great conversation with Michael Kupperman and Noah Van Skiver is here for Kupperman’s reflections and observations by Van Skiver, who is someone in the know to ask good questions. I was cruising through Van Skiver’s channel (also recommended) and stumbled on Kupperman’s and immediately borrowed the book from my library.

Of course, the book was fresh in my mind when I went to see some monster trucks this weekend. Not that I expected them to connect, but a reader’s life is funny that way.

The Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa hosts monster truck events with some regularity. We had not yet been able to attend one, but with a free calendar for the Easter weekend, why not? Instead of the big stadium-style performance, it was a more subdued “drive-thru adventure.” We weren’t sure what that could mean, but the weather was nice and thought it may be a fun enough outing to give it a try. I’m glad we did. Our five-year-old loved it.

We drove through an out-and-back loop at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Classic rock and revved recordings of monster truck rallies of yore throbbed through huge speakers along the road, drowning out the short audio clips prepared by the organizers to play from their event website through my phone over my car stereo.

We were awed by the monster truck made from an old firetruck, ate churros, and sipped strawberry lemonade with all the windows down and the sunroof open.

Then when we saw these cute, small monster trucks. They had information about each of them printed on banners hung by each truck. It took a moment to realize what I was reading fully. According to the banners, the drivers are children. The idea of child performers came crashing back down on me. I don’t know that these kids who drive monster trucks are child celebrities. Admittedly, I don’t exactly have my finger on the pulse of the subculture of monster trucking. Maybe these kids know they’re super lucky to get to do that work, to have that experience. And maybe it’s niched down enough not to draw the attention that becomes such a burden on young performers. At least, that’s what I’ll assume. 

But if there’s a Joel Kupperman of the mini monster trucks, I hope they get some hugs and space to be a kid. More than a kid who gets to destroy stuff with a custom-built monster truck. I wish young Joel could have had a turn in one. Maybe we all should.

  • Small monster truck, Skull Krusher Mini, in static display, shown atop a crushed silver BMW sedan.
    Skull Krusher Mini monster truck
  • banner that reads Skull Krusher Mini
    Skull Krusher Mini
  • Monster Buddy Mini monster truck
  • banner that reads Monster Buddy Mini
    Monster Buddy Mini
  • High Risk Mini monster truck
  • High Risk Mini
  • Warhead Mini monster truck
  • Warhead Mini

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

Posted on

Book Review: The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Cover of The Library Book by Susan Orlean

By Benjamin L. Clark

Cover of The Library Book by Susan Orlean
The Library Book by Susan Orlean

The Library Book by Susan Orlean — This book was on some great end-of-year lists last year and for good reason. I had it on my shelf for a while waiting for “someday,” and, well, someday came. It’s an amazing book. Is it very, very long-form journalism, is it popular history? A twist on True Crime? Where does that line even exist? It doesn’t matter. Deeply, passionately researched, this is a love story. Not simply to the beautiful Central Library in downtown Los Angeles, but to libraries everywhere, to the librarians who made and make them what they are, and most of all to the libraries of our hearts. 

Burning the Library

Los Angeles Public Library
Los Angeles Public Library, courtesy, California Historical Society, CHS2015.1897

The story of the 1986 fire that became one of the largest single-event losses of print culture in human history is the burning hoop that keeps this story together, fueled by the clear-eyed curiosity of Susan Orlean. Orlean is present in the story, but with so much uncertainty around the fire, and around the man who was arrested for it, her voice is the anchor readers need. Harry Peak was arrested for starting the fire, but not charged and eventually released has a slippery historical record, but a fascinating and in the end, sympathetic story. He died in 1993. Though the case remains unsolved, Orlean has done an incredible job taking the scraps and bits, talking to the right people who still remember important things, and puts it all together, not only cohesively and effectively, but in a touching and humane way.  

I’ve liked the L.A. Library for a long time, too. I’ve never been there or anything, but I like the architect who designed it, Bertram Goodhue. He also designed the capitol building of my home state of Nebraska. He is an interesting person as well, and his role isn’t ignored either. 

What Didn’t I Like?

Nothing. It was an incredible story well told. I’m sure Orlean could have filled four thick volumes of footnotes for all of it, but didn’t need to. I can see some readers may not see the point of going back to the L.A. Public Library’s very genesis, and down through the years along the way, but I found it fascinating! There are several other people who should have a lot more written about them! What we got was not enough! I kept hopping over to Wikipedia to look up more about individuals mentioned, looking for other connections. 

Reading Such A Book “In Times Like These”

“Under our current circumstances,” “in these unprecedented times,” whatever your preferred euphemism for sheltering at home during a novel virus pandemic that has already taken 300,000 lives worldwide, it’s a strange time to review a book at all. Especially one about a disaster. But I found this book to be strangely calming. Orlean brings order from an avalanche of charred, damp, broken bits. I also miss my local library. Also, as curator of a museum, I couldn’t help but feel encouraged — we’re going to be OK too. 

The book was also a balm for how open-ended our “current circumstances” are. The library fire burned for several hours, but the destruction and unanswered questions lasted for years. I can’t imagine working in the conditions the people there endured for so long. Would the library be rebuilt? Would the institution even survive? Could the city even afford to rebuild if there was political will to do so? Spoiler alert: In the end, the library was restored, expanded, and is thriving. 

Who Should Read It?

Bibliophiles of any stripe, anyone interested in the history of Los Angeles. Creative people, people pushing nostalgia for the 1980s. People facing disasters. Survivors. Culture vultures, architecture nerds, the bookish, the lonely, the weird kids. Friends of the Library, Museum, Symphony, Theater, whatever. It’s a great book and you should read it too.

Buy This Book From An Indie Bookshop

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

Posted on

Book Review: The Pigeon Tunnel by John le Carré

JOHN LE CARRE ( David Cornwell) English Writer 1931-- by N.C. Mallory (CC)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/augustusswift/4514760392.jpg
JOHN LE CARRE ( David Cornwell) English Writer 1931— by N.C. Mallory (CC)

John le Carré (David Cornwell) says that every one of his books was titled The Pigeon Tunnel at some point in the early stages. He finally nails a book worthy of the title with this memoir of his writing life, his time working for British Intelligence, and between the lines, a sense of the man behind the stories of espionage and intrigue.

Le Carré tells stories about meeting Arafat, about fellow author and intelligence operative Graham Greene, and letting Robert Redford borrow his Swiss ski chalet, which he’d built with the proceeds of his first smash hit book The Spy Who Came in from the Cold… But le Carré doesn’t splay these stories before readers, pushing his own life before us like a wordy, mercenary paparazzi, exploiting his limelight-adjacent life. He also comes across as a man trying to sort things out, but barely mentions marriages and children. Perhaps out of respect for their privacy, or perhaps because they’ve been covered in past interviews. I don’t know, but for me, it’s a curious absence.

The Pigeon Tunnel by John Le Carré

Some stories are well-polished yarns le Carré has no doubt shared for many years over drinks, at readings, or over dinner. Like the time he was with Joseph Brodsky when he found out he won the Nobel Prize. Or being summoned by Margaret Thatcher to Number 10.

Then there are the stories of his father. Ronnie Cornwell, le Carré’s father, was a con man of the very highest order. A few of his schemes and cons are outlined here by le Carré, but again, as a man trying to make heads or tails of what information he’s been able to gather, and willing to share. You can almost see him shaking his head throughout the retelling. However, it does give readers a glimpse into how the son of con-man would be drawn into the life of intelligence.

Author John le Carré speaking at the German Embassy in London in June 2017.
John le Carré speaking at the German Embassy in London in June 2017.

It’s an excellent book. You won’t find much of “the writer’s life” type of musings, but I doubt many readers will be all that interested in that. No, over his long and productive life, I get a sense that le Carré has been just as busy managing his intellectual property rights, film rights, and fighting off lawsuits and inquiries to make the actual writing of fiction a wonderful respite when he’s able to get down to it. I recommend Pigeon Tunnel if you’re interested in his books, Cold War stories, or Hollywood.

And about that title. After reading his explanation, which takes readers along on a gambling escapade in Monte Carlo, I can see just about any one of his books carrying the title, and it’s meaning, very well. It’s perhaps the aptest metaphor I’ve read in a very long time for not only the life of people working in intelligence but also for writers. I don’t think Le Carré sat on the title all these years because he kept finding titles that suited his novels better. I think he knew it was a title with only one story worthy of it: His own.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

Posted on

Book Review: Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart

Cover of Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart - advance reader copy

Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 368 pages.

If you’ve missed the previous four Kopp Sisters novels by Amy Stewart, you’re missing out. That said, don’t let that stop you from starting now. Book five of the series, Kopp Sisters on the March works as a standalone novel. After all, this book is not only about the trio of sisters who have braved many trials and tribulations, but also about Beulah Binford. A “wicked woman” if there ever was one. Or was she? 

Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know?

Beulah’s very real, historical infamy became a pop culture phenomenon, a meme even, of the early 20th Century eastern states, and beyond. Such that she had a hard time keeping a low profile even in New York City, though she was from Virginia originally, and where infamy found her. In the end, her story, though tragic, was believable, ringing true not only in fact but of the era. On the surface, Beulah’s story was not one I’d typically go along with — a vapid, vain young woman has been abused by people she trusted, but who she also pursued — but once it was laid out, I was hooked. I found her fascinating. 

All three Kopp sisters also have fascinating storylines themselves. However, in On the March, they all fold back onto the story of Beulah, though Stewart’s version is more fictionalized, deviating on a few matters from the historical record. The very real, historical Kopps disappear from the historic record in this time, so Stewart is able to explore the characters she’s created a bit more alongside this true-crime tale, and not lose any of the histories of her series protagonists.  

And of course, like the previous books of the series, there are interesting explorations into the role of women in this pivotal time. So many changes are in the air for the world, for the United States, and for the Kopp Sisters.  Women come to the fore during a time of war, stepping into leadership roles over enormous organizations, and demanding a bigger part of the decision-making. Stewart keeps the machinery of war moving far from the action of On the March, and I hope is setting up storylines for the years of World War I for Book 6.   

This book is well-paced — not a breakneck thriller, but more of a straight historical novel than a nail-biting whodunnit. Something I liked, but didn’t realize until it was all over — there’s no romance to speak of in this book besides the romance of being young and finding yourself. Or being a little older, and finding yourself again. Anyway, I enjoyed it. 

My Only Qualm

I truly love the cover art by Jim Tierney for this series. Each book’s cover is completely different and looks amazing. I’m pretty sure it was the covers that drew me to the series initially even though I already liked Amy Stewart’s non-fiction work. World War I aircraft are like catnip to me. It’s one of those things that I cannot explain. And there are biplanes on this gorgeous cover for On the March. As I read and enjoyed the book, I kept thinking, “Maybe the planes come later? Maybe at the end?” But, the cover is sadly the only place you’ll find aircraft in this book. *Sigh* Though all three sisters have decent roles and interesting storylines for themselves, none of them fly planes. Or get close to planes, or think of them, speak of them, or … anything.  

Hungry For More?

Author Amy Stewart has prepared a fantastic Q&A for readers as well on her own website — you can check it out here, but be sure to click my links below before leaving. 

https://www.amystewart.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Amy-Stewart-KOPP-SISTERS-MARCH-QA.pdf.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes historical mysteries and works as a history museum curator.

WHY NOT SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER?

Posted on

Book Review: The Chase by Clive Cussler

I saw it was Clive Cussler’s birthday today so I thought I’d share a review I wrote years and years ago for the first book of his historical thriller/mystery series starring Isaac Bell, a private detective of considerable private means. So, here it is, from the archives:

A cold-blooded bank robber has had astounding success throughout the western states and the Van Dorn Detective Agency has been hired by the US Gov’t to stop him. Van Dorn sends their best — Detective Isaac Bell, an independently wealthy detective who is hyper-competent and whose intuitions are never wrong.

US cover for The Chase by Clive Cussler. Original painting by Maurizio Manzeiri.

The story was, unfortunately, more predictable than I like. A little bloated too. Of course, you know early on that a train is a main focus for the story — and the fact it has this amazing cover with a train at the bottom of a lake is also pretty cool, but … Cussler left a lot of potential for suspense on the table, I felt. Even with the built-in ticking time bomb realizing a large part of the story is set in the spring of 1906 … in San Francisco.

Also, I didn’t love the main character Isaac Bell. I’ve not read a lot of Clive Cussler’s books in my life — I know fans of his read dozens, but I’ve read a couple, and have listened to one or two on audio while road-tripping with my father. Bell is just like the other Cussler heroes, and frankly, I found him kind of dull. I liked the supporting cast (what little we see of them), even though I expected several of them to shout “Golly!” at any moment. The shifting locations helped keep a lively pace. Honestly, I enjoyed reading the villain more than the hero in this one.

The history info dumps are what writers like Cussler are known for — cool car on the scene boom he writes an essay on the car’s technical details. That’s OK with me, I’m here just as much for the history as I am for the story. The random, purposeless historical cameos — not so much. It gives historical fiction a bad name, I think, and these particularly clanked off-key. One was OK (John Barrymore), another (Jack London), was sadly pointless.

So, if you like your historical thriller with some action, but not a lot of mystery, check out The Chase. I’ll probably read more of the series myself (it’s my favorite era at the moment), but it won’t be a high priority, especially with others starting to come out in this era. But the books are easy to get a hold of, and almost always a few to be found when the library starts weeding shelves.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes and works as a museum curator.

WHY NOT SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER?

Posted on

Book Review: Dames Fight Harder by M. Ruth Myers

Dames Fight Harder

In this sixth installment of Maggie Sullivan mysteries, Maggie‘s friend Rachel Minsky is accused of killing a man that “had it coming.” Rachel is an independent Jewish woman of means who runs her own construction company in Dayton, Ohio with a private nature. Why has Rachel’s loyal but dangerous right-hand man also disappeared? Why has Rachel kept so many secrets? Can she survive when they unravel around her? Once again, private investigator Maggie Sullivan finds herself surrounded by questions and too few answers.

Cover of Dames Fight Harder by M Ruth MyersHistorical Fiction for the Historian

I spend a lot of time reading history in my day job so something I look for while reading historical fiction and especially historical mysteries is that the experience is immersive without beating me over the head with historical facts. Ruth Myers does this better and better with each installment. Some writers are justifiably proud of the immense amount of research that goes into writing good historical mysteries, but they are less deft at using that research to create their fictional world. Ruth Myers does this beautifully and that experience is what makes her books among the best of the genre.

Dames Fight Harder takes place in the early spring of 1942, a few months following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States official entry into World War II. The war and its global implications weigh on the minds of every character though this is done in such a realistic manner I only noticed my own mounting sense of dread about some characters in this context and only realized when I finished the book why that was. Uncertainties and enormous cultural upheavals are only beginning to be felt, let alone understood. Meyers does a wonderful job making the characters and the mystery at hand the focus. This isn’t a history lesson, but a strong female-driven mystery set in a fascinating time. As a reader, I felt like I was there on those eerily quiet construction sites or with the elderly lady planting beans in what magazines would come to call Victory Gardens.

New to the series?

Although this is book six of an ongoing series, new readers to the Maggie Sullivan series won’t be lost as Myers writes enough background into each to catch up, though I wouldn’t classify them as stand-alone novels as there are long story and character arcs running through the series as a whole.

See my review of an earlier Maggie Sullivan book, Shamus In A Skirt

…

RECOMMENDED

Fascinated by World War II, the upheavals of the 1930s and 1940s and love a strong female lead story? Read all of Maggie’s stories, but feel free to start here on the newest one.

This review © The Lincoln Journal Star. It originally appeared in print 24 December 2017.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes historical mysteries and works as a history museum curator.

ENJOY THIS POST? WHY NOT SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER?

Posted on

Book Review: Montaigne in Barn Boots

Philosophy and HumorMontaigne in Barn Boots by Michael Perry

Author Michael Perry opens by describing laying on a gurney with a kidney stone and it made him think of Montaigne. Having had a kidney stone or two in my day, I can say I didn’t do much thinking, but any and every distraction was welcome. His book in hand I thought, ‘This is someone I can learn from.’ It also had an image of Montaigne wearing an Elmer Fudd hat on the cover — how could I resist?

Michael Perry is a hick. An NPR listening one, but a bonafide bumpkin from rural Wisconsin. And his approach as a writer is a wonderful blend of Dave Berry-esque humor and E. B. White’s reflective essays on life at his farm in Maine.

But don’t be fooled by Perry’s “Aw shucks” demeanor. He dives deep into not only the works of the 16th Century French nobleman-essayist, but also into his translators, devotees, and critics, flipping through each and finding the humor and wisdom for consideration in each encounter. Honestly, I thought Perry’s book would be a collection of Montaigne’s greatest quotes with a few essays built around them, but it’s much more than that.

One thing I learned, Montaigne was 38-years-old when he started writing his essays, finding wisdom with reflection. It happens to be the birthday I’ll have this year and I probably shouldn’t ignore my own copy of Montaigne on the shelf. Over the years, I’ve read from it a couple times, opening it to dip in and out seeing what I can find. Not like a miner desperately swirling his pan for gold. More like the weird uncle pinching choice bits of meat in the kitchen before the roast goes to the table. Did Horace B. Taylor, the previous owner of my copy as a student at the University of Montana sometime in the 1950s ever open it? Judging by the crispness of the pages and the tightness of the binding, I think not.

Perry follows Montaigne into all parts of life, including Friendship, Marriage, Sex, and yes, Farts (officially funny if you were wondering.) Perry is honest, making himself vulnerable exploring all of these subjects and many more. As a reader I found myself nodding in agreement, appreciating his willingness to not hide behind the page as a writer but to lay life out for all of us, that we can connect over our common humanity. Even if it’s over fart stories.

…

RECOMMENDED

Michael Perry quotes Montaigne that the study philosophy is really a preparation for death. Perry comes to the same conclusions, thinking on experiences of his life, love marriage, children, writing, and working on an ambulance crew. After reading and loving “Montaigne in Barn Boots” is not the preparation for death but appreciate our commonalities and a better appreciation of our lives.

(c) Lincoln Journal Star
This review first appeared in print December 12, 2017

Benjamin L. Clark writes historical mysteries and works as a history museum curator.

WHY NOT SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER?

Posted on

Book Review: Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung

INTROVERT ALERT

Discovering what you want out of life, navigating self-doubt, and standing on the threshold of adulthood is tough no matter who you are. Luckily there are friends along the way who can help us. For some, those friends happen to be made out of a splash of ink and a pound of paper. Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story by Debbie Tung is one of those books.

When it arrived, Debbie Tung’s graphic novel looked familiar to me and no doubt why – I had been following her work on Instagram, which can be found @wheresmybubble. Her work has appeared in print and online in several places. I was glad to get my hands on this book.

Cover of the book Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung This autobiographical graphic novel of Tung’s young life and entry into adulthood is told in single-page sets of drawings which makes it easy to dip in and out, or do as did and read it all in one sitting. She makes her way through graduate school, writing her dissertation, reflecting on her childhood and getting into a relationship with an extrovert — all with observational, self-deprecating humor and charm.

Tung’s book had a very similar effect on me as when I read Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking a few years ago. It opened my eyes to my own introversion and I found a kinship. I knew I was an introvert long before reading it, but there were parts of my personality that didn’t make sense to me, like my ambition, like my ability to be outgoing in specific situations. Cain’s book explores introversion in a deep dive and gave me a lot of helpful insight. Tung’s book is anecdotal, and more like a quiet cup of tea with a good friend, you can communicate with entirely by passive telepathy.

Tung also opened my eyes to differences in experience. Experiences I imagine that would be more common for young women who are introverts as well, navigating sexist behavior on top of their introversion. I’ve already pressed my copy into the hands of my favorite introvert to see what she thinks.

I’d recommend Quiet Girl in a Noisy World to introverts who are figuring things out and the people that love them.

This review originally appeared in the Lincoln Journal Star on December 3, 2017.  ©Lincoln Journal Star, 2017.

…

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark is a writer in Omaha where his family understands that he needs a little space sometimes.

Like this post? Subscribe to my newsletter!

Posted on

Book Review: The Devil’s Feast by M.J. Carter

The Devil's Feast by M. J. Carter
The Devil’s Feast by M. J. Carter                                                  Out of the Frying Pan…

The third installment of Blake & Avery has arrived (with another gorgeous cover!). I really enjoyed The Strangler Vine, the first book of this very early Victorian amateur sleuth series. The Strangler Vine is set in India at the dawn of the Victorian era and is a true adventure wrapped around a mystery. The following book, The Infidel Stain, took our British duo to London a few years later but didn’t quite enthrall me in the same way. For Feast, we remain in London, in the lanes and squares but also into the finest kitchens and private clubs of the age, where gentlemen are being poisoned. French celebrity chef and inventor Alexis Soyer, known perhaps only to food historians today, but quite real, plays a starring role in this newest book. 

It comes as no surprise the history and details come across so richly from the pen of author M. J. Carter. Carter has previously written and published non-fiction history as Miranda Carter and her work is well regarded.  Her research is thorough and it shows, but I know that’s not every novel reader’s favorite part of a good mystery.

… and into the fire.

I was very glad to see a new installment of the Blake & Avery series and hope for more. The second book didn’t quite capture me the way the first did, but this third book was better than the previous, but still not quite as captivating as Vine. One distinct criticism I have in this adventure is that we see far too little of Jeremiah Blake in this book. He has a couple very brief cameos before finally coming forward for the final third. It was in this final third as a reader I sat up and paid attention.

Blake & Avery books 1 and 2

… 

RECOMMEND

If you love food history, the early Victorians, or just a good British mystery, get The Devil’s Feast and the earlier Blake & Avery books. I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook via NetGalley in exchange for my review.

About the Author: Benjamin L. Clark writes historical mysteries and works as a history museum curator.

WHY NOT SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER?