Last month's Book Report was filled with taut thrillers that kept you turning the page. This month we feature fiction that captures your heart and attention.
Nancy Johnson’s first book, The Kindest Lie was one of my favorite books from 2021. Her newest effort, People of Means is just as compelling and deals with timely topics in two different timelines.
In 1959, Freda leaves her home to attend Fisk University in Nashville. Freda’s parents met at Fisk, and her father is now a successful doctor while her mother volunteers for many charities in Chicago.
Freda is now faced with dealing up close with Jim Crow racism in Nashville, something she didn’t see much of back in her mostly Black suburban life in Chicago. While her father admonished her to keep her head down and concentrate on her studies, Freda meets Darius, a young man who becomes increasingly involved in the Civil Rights movement.
Darius opens Freda’s eyes up to the injustices they face, and Freda must make a choice between keeping to studies following her father’s wishes to make a success of her career, and fighting the injustice she sees every day.
In 1992, Freda’s daughter Tulip faces a similar battle. Tulip has a good job in public relations, but deals with micro aggressions and workplace politics every day. After the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles, Tulip struggles with her feelings about the racial injustices in her world, and must decide whether to work to fight that or keep her head down and work hard to become a success in the business world as her father would like.
Both Tulip and Freda faced a similar struggle decades apart, will Tulip follow her mother’s example? People of Means is a thought-provoking novel that resonates with issues today.
Lauren Willig’s brilliant new historical novel The Girl From Greenwich Street fictionalizes a real-life murder mystery from 1800 New York City. When young Elma Sands tells her cousin that she is leaving to get married, she is soon found dead in the bottom of a well and suspicion falls to Levi Weeks, the man she claimed she was to marry.
Levi says he was not planning on marrying Elma and he did not see her the night she disappeared. Elma’s family insists that Levi be arrested, and Levi’s brother hires him a lawyer- Aaron Burr.
As everyone knows from Hamilton- the Musical, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton had an intense rivalry. Alexander Hamilton works in his way onto the defense team for Levi Weeks, where he clashes with Burr on strategy.
The Girl From Greenwich Street is a fascinating novel, filled with intriguing characters and a compelling storyline. Willig drops the reader right into 1800 New York City, and you feel like you are right there watching the action as it happens.
Just as interesting as Willig’s novel is the Historical Note at the end. It will have you going down a rabbit hole to learn more about this historical event.
Nickolas Butler’s A Forty Year Kiss tells the story of Charlie and Vivian. They married forty years ago and divorced after four years because of Charlie’s drinking and temper.
Charlie moves away and has a career in the railroad, while Vivian still lives in Wisconsin. When Charlie moves back home, he finds Vivian on Facebook and asks to meet her again.
They slowly reconnect, with Charlie hoping to make more a permanent relationship with Vivian. But Vivian isn’t sure that Charlie has changed. Time hasn’t been kind to Vivian, she never had a successful career, and lives with her adult daughter who works multiple jobs to support her two children.
Readers will relate to Vivian and her love for her grandchildren whom she cares for, and hope that she and Charlie can find their way back to each other. It tugs at your heartstrings.
Linda Holmes charming new novel, Back After This tells the story of Cecily, who works as a producer for a small company that creates podcasts. The company is not doing well, and Cecily’s boss comes up with an idea to save them- a new podcast featuring the single-and-looking Cecily going on 20 first dates to find the perfect man, while being guided by a popular Instagram influencer.
After Cecily reluctantly agrees to it, she keeps running into a handsome, charming man who’s perfect for her. But she can’t date him until after the podcast is over which is months away. What’s a girl to do?
If you are podcast fan, you will enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at the industry. Linda Holmes is a cohost of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour”. This is a breezy, sweet read.
People of Means by Nancy Johnson-A
Published by William Morrow
Hardcover, $30, 357 pages
The Girl From Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig-A+
Published by William Morrow
Hardcover, $30, 352 pages
A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler- A
Published by Sourcebooks
Hardcover, $27.99, 322 pages
Back After This by Linda Holmes- A
Published by Ballantine Books
Hardcover, $28, 320 pages
