Welcome to Friday’s edition of the Cafe and Bookstore with recent reviews for books on the shelves.
The first author with a recent review is Mae Clair for her mystery with a touch of humour… In Search of McDoogal
About the book
In search of something ugly…
All Brady Conrad wants to do is earn a few merit points with his artist girlfriend, so he volunteers to cover her gallery when she leaves town. What should be an easy day of sales goes belly up when he mistakenly sells a cherished painting.
With the clock ticking toward Vanessa’s return, Brady has less than a day to track McDoogal down. He coerces his friend Declan to tag along for moral support. How difficult can it be for an investigator and the director of a renowned institute to find a single painting in a town the size of a postage stamp?
Neither Brady nor Declan counted on a suspicious sheriff, rival baseball teams with a longstanding grudge, or a clueless kid trying to win his girlfriend with all the wrong gifts.
McDoogal is smack in the middle. But Brady’s biggest dilemma isn’t the disastrous hunt. It’s confessing to Vanessa her painting is the ugliest thing he’s ever seen
One of the recent reviews for the book.
Anytime I see a new release by Mae Clair, I know it’s going to be a fantastic read. Having enjoyed both her Hodes Hill and Point Pleasant series, as well as, single titles such as Eclipse Lake, I immediately bought a copy of In Search of McDoogle.
While this story is far different from her usual genre, it didn’t disappoint.
Brady Conrad wants to impress his girlfriend. When he accidentally sells her beloved painting, he enlists the help of his friend, Declan, to help retrieve it.
What follows is a trip to a nearby town in search of the elusive “masterpiece”, a cast of quirky characters, a comedy of errors, and lots of laughs. A solid five stars for this one.
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And:Amazon UK
A selection of books by Mae Clair
Mae Clair, Buy: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK – Follow Mae on: Goodreads
Website: Mae Clair – Twitter: @MaeClair1
The next book with a recent review is Islands of the Gulf Volume 1, The Journey (The Herbert West Series Book 2) by Audrey Driscoll
About the book
Once, he was Herbert West, superlative surgeon and revivifier of the dead. Now he’s lost his reputation, his country and his name. Rebuilding his life as a country doctor on Bellefleur Island, he struggles with doubts, emotional entanglements and terrible memories of the Great War. Above all, he must forge a new relationship with his old adversary – death – and negotiate with a new one – love.
More Details: Boulogne, France, 1916. Wounded soldier Andre Boudreau awakes to find himself under the care of renegade physician Herbert West of Arkham, who is serving as a medical officer in the Great War. Having lost his memory and reluctant to return to a home and family he cannot remember, at the end of the War Andre gratefully accepts West’s offer of employment.
In Arkham, Andre works as chauffeur, valet and lab assistant, serving with unquestioning devotion the man he calls the Doctor. He remains loyal when West is forced to escape from Arkham by drastic means, changing his name to Francis Dexter. In the course of a bizarre journey across North America, Andre finds himself in charge of their travels as Dexter, his health and judgment impaired, grows increasingly unstable.
Arriving by tramp steamer on the West Coast, Andre is eager to begin a new life, despite his loyalty to the Doctor. A chance meeting brings them to Bellefleur Island, where Andre finds work as a lighthouse keeper. Hoping that the island may offer a chance for the Doctor to begin anew as Dr. Francis Dexter, Andre leaves him in the hands of Margaret Bellgarde.
Married young to ambitious lawyer Richard Bellgarde, Margaret is devastated when he volunteers for service in the Great War and is killed in action. Offered a home on Bellefleur Island by her father-in-law, Margaret gives birth to her son there and becomes absorbed into the island’s life.
With the arrival on Bellefleur of Dr. Francis Dexter, Margaret finds herself questioning him about his past and herself about her future. Showing him the beauties of her island home, sharing conversations and experiences, Margaret comes to find Dexter attractive as well as mysterious. Charming but evasive, Dexter builds a successful medical practice and spends summers exploring the coast with sailor and artist Julian Vernon.
When tragedy strikes, Margaret finds herself in a unique position to help Dexter, but first she must choose between the inclinations of her heart and the principles she has taken for granted all her life. Her choices have unfathomable consequences for her family and the island she loves.
One of the recent reviews for the book
A man of macabre background is described first through the eyes of his valet and then through the eyes of a widow who slowly grows fond of him despite the mysteries surrounding him. This is a well-written story, each paragraph either informing us or teasing us with questions, each paragraph conversational and through it all, you learn as much about the narrator as the subject of their discourse.
This is a well-planned story that has multiple plot points systematically delivering us from Europe, to Canada, to Boston, to New Orleans, to the Gulf of Mexico, and ultimately to the Strait of Juan de Fuca off of British Columbia. Ships and ports and mariners make the journey interesting to the reader, and, you are tempted to stay awake one more hour to get to the next chapter.
I gave this book five stars because of the quality of writing, the unique points of view which were expertly handled, and the unfolding story that kept me reading. Driscoll clearly works diligently on her writing and quite carefully on her editing. This is a very good book!
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
A selection of books by Audrey Driscoll
Audrey Driscoll, Buy:Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – follow Audrey: Goodreads – Website:Audrey Driscoll – LinkedIn: Audrey Driscoll
The final author today is Apple Gidley with a recent review for the historical novel Transfer
About the book
Transfer traces the lives of those on Anna’s Fancy, the Clausen estate on Saint Croix in the Danish West Indies, handed down through three generations. An historical novel and the sequel to Fireburn (OC Publishing 2017), Transfer sees Niels Clausen, the illegitimate child of a Danish landowner and his black mistress who both died as a result of the 1878 worker revolt, leave his adoptive mother’s sugar plantation and sail to England to continue his education.
With the help of Toby, a British aristocrat, Ivy, a lady’s maid turned lady and her botanist husband, Timothy, Niels challenges the perceptions on the streets of London of a black man at the turn of the 20th century. His development as a writer and political protagonist continues as he travels to Denmark and France where he meets up with childhood friends, Javier and Fabiana Gomez, before returning to Saint Croix.
The Danish West Indies face an uncertain future as the declining sugar industry lessens Denmark’s interest in their colonial outpost. Niels becomes increasingly involved in the future of the islands as war looms and concerns grow that Germany might covet a presence in the Caribbean. Will the islands’ security be guaranteed by the transfer of power to America?
The highs and lows of Niels’ life are punctuated by the crossing of oceans and cultures as well as the political manoeuvrings of a turbulent time in Europe, the United States and the Caribbean.
One of the recent reviews for the book
Loved the book! This was the story of a special group of people – a continuation of the first book, Fireburn. Transfer follows the families/friends through the years following the Emancipation of slaves (Fireburn) to the takeover of St. Croix and the other Virgin Islands by the United States. Ms. Gidley brought the people to life and highlighted the issues of the time. Excellent story!
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
Books by Apple Gidley
Apple Gidley, Buy: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – follow Apple: Goodreads – Blog:Apple Gidley WordPress – Twitter: @ExpatApple
Thank you for dropping by today and I hope you will be leaving with some books.. thanks Sally.
Great to see Mae included with these other lovely ladies, Sally. I thoroughly enjoyed In Search of McDoogal, and am glad to see it being featured here today. It’s so much fun! (And personally, I think fun is a real good thing to have. 😀 )
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Thank Marcia.. McDoogal receiving a lot of recommendations and looking forward to reading.. and yes we all need a dose of fun regularly at the moment .. I am just off to have my hair cut and we have 60 mile winds at the moment and pouring rain.. perfect! ♥♥
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I haven’t had a haircut in over six months! I now have Covid Head. It’s like Bed Head, only lots, lots longer! 😯 Good luck driving through such a storm. 🙂
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Lol…I think quite a few people have that abundance Marcia.. I actually had mine cut on July 7th but was still surprised how much it had grown.. back in one piece and was lucky I was in the eye of the storm..hugsx
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The only one I’ve read of these is McDoogal, but I recommend it completely.
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Thanks for adding your recommendation Craig..on my Amazon list for my next shopping trip..x
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Super authors and reviewers, Sally. I just started McDoogal, and have to echo the reviewer’s opinion. This is an entertaining book.
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Fantastic John…I look forward to reading..xx
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Congrats Mae, Audrey, and Apple! Wonderful reviews and great spotlight! Thank you, Sally.
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Thanks Gwen.. have a lovely weekend..hugsx
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Thanks so much for the continued support, Sally – very much appreciated.
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Pleasure Apple..xx
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I just finished McDoogal last week. What a fun and entertaining read!
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Thanks for the recommendation Pete… another one for the list.xx
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Thanks for keeping an eye on our reviews, Sally, and for featuring them here. I’m pleased to appear along with Mae and Apple.
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Pleasure Audrey and have a good weekend. x
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Hi Sally, Congratulations to Audrey, May and Apple on those amazing reviews. Well done. Toni x
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Thanks Toni..have a great weekend..hugsx
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McDoogal was just brilliant! Such a light-hearted, read, perfect for these troubled times. One of my favourite reads this year.
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Looking forward to it Jessica.. on my next Amazon run. x
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I think you’d love it Sally 🙂
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Oh, Sally, you do love to entice me, lols. I’ve read and enjoyed McDoogal … that one’s a hoot. But I haven’t yet come across Audrey’s or Apple’s books until now, and I’ll have to check them out. Great line up of authors, books, and reviews. Thanks for sharing. Hugs x 🙂
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Thanks Harmony…and I do love to entice you…lol.. looking forward to McDoogal soon..hugsx
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Do let me know how you like the books, Harmony – love to get feedback from readers. Best, Apple
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In Search of McDoogal sounds very funny. I will gift it one of my paiting friends. 😉 Its for encouraging him reading between the lines. Lol The others are also wonderful. I will get closer for my TBR. Thank you Sally! Enjoy “high noon”. Michael
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I read and enjoyed every word of McDoogal and highly recommend it.
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Thanks Joan looking like a very popular read. Have a lovely weekend.
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McDoogal was such a departure for Mae, but it was such an enjoyable read. I could spend hours immersed in the banter between the two leads. Really hoping this series continues for a long time.
Haven’t read the others, but glad you shared them. Best wishes to all the authors. Thanks, Sally.
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Thanks Staci.. and for another recommendation for McDoogal.. looking forward to reading myself. Have a good weekend..hugs
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out these author updates from the Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore featuring Mae Clair, Audrey Driscoll and Apple Gidley
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Thanks for sharing Don..x
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Thanks much for sharing, Don!
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Another three great reviews. The number of positive comments here re McDoogal mean I’ll have to pop across to Amazon and see for myself… xx
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Quite… I will be too…next visit..hugsx
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A great mix of genre’s, Sally. My TBR has swelled a little more.
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Great to hear Robbie…have a lovely weekend..hugsx
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Wow, 3 new fab books to stuff in our fat Kindles. Congrats to the ladies! ❤
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Thanks Debby… I can hear the groans from here lol. ♥
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Lol ❤
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Sally, thank you so much for featuring In Search of McDoogal today. I am positively delighted, and thrilled to be featured with Audrey and Apple, and honored by all the positive comments about my quirky little novella.
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My pleasure Mae… and delighted by the response for you…xx
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I’m over the moon 🙂
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Great books and reviews! Thanks, Sally!
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Thanks Jan.. glad you enjoyed..hugsx
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