Book Review: The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes

The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes
Release Date: 9th April 2013

Publisher: Penguin Books
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 580
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 ODY and 2013 GVR

Summary from Amazon:

"As the youngest of the five Walsh girls, Helen has had a tough time finding her way in the world—at thirty-three, she has her job as a private investigator that has proven less than fruitful and after losing her flat, she’s moved back in with Mammy Walsh. Her hunky new boyfriend, Artie, and his three adorable children are a great distraction, but his beautiful ex-wife lives a little too close for comfort. Meanwhile, Helen runs into her ex-boyfriend Jay Parker and reluctantly signs on to help him locate Wayne Diffney, the recently disappeared fourth member of Ireland’s biggest mid-nineties boy band, Laddz. Of the five Laddz, the Talented One has long gone on to better things, but the Cute One, the Gay One, and the Other One are all busily shunning carbs and rehearsing their reunion tour, and it’s Helen’s job to track down Wayne, the Wacky One. Wayne hasn’t left a trace, and Helen throws herself into the search wholeheartedly, leaving no stone unturned while watching her own life slowly fall apart, one unpaid bill at a time."

Review:

I love Marian Keyes' novels. Quite a few years ago I bought my first Marian Keyes novel, Anybody out There?, and ever since then I've sought out and read all of her novels. So, when I saw that a new novel was being released, I preorded it on The Book Depository and read it pretty much as soon as it got here. And, just as I suspected, I quite enjoyed it. 

The novel centres on Helen Walsh, a 30-something private investigator who's pretty much hit rock bottom. She struggling for work, but then her ex swoops in and offers her a job to find a missing person, Wayne Diffney. So, over the next 4 or so days, she splits her time between searching for Wayne, spending time with her boyfriend and dealing with her family. I have to say, at first I didn't particularly like Helen - she just seemed snarky and annoying to me. But, as a read further and found out more about her and her back story, I did come to like her. I also enjoyed the reappearance of the Walsh family, who Keyes has centred many of her novels on (each of Helen's 4 sisters have a novel centred around them). 

I like how Keyes tackles big issues in some of her novels. One of my all time faves, Rachel's Holiday, deals with drug addiction and the rehabilitation process. In this novel, we dealt with depression. I liked how Keyes developed Helen's problem, and I thought that the picture she painted of a depressed person was pretty well done. Helen wasn't the stereotypical depressed person, the sort of person who doesn't do anything and stays in bed all day. She worked well and efficiently at her job, she interacted with her family and was getting along well with her boyfriend. Helen was struggling with some big problems, but from the outset, if you didn't know her you probably wouldn't think that she was depressed.

I also liked the mystery aspect of the novel. I honestly didn't know where Wayne was until it was revealed in the novel, and that very rarely happens to me. Some novels these days can be quite predictable in their story lines, and in mystery novels I tend to find that I can predict the endings fairly well. But with this one, I had absolutely no idea. Maybe that's why I loved the ending so much - not only did it fit in quite well with Helen's main storyline, but it surprised me.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but I had no doubt when I picked it up that I would. I love that Keyes can write fun and entertaining novels that also deal with big issues - they've got a bit of everything really. Her novels really are great, I couldn't recommend them enough. 

Book Review: Juliet by Anne Fortier

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Release Date: 26th July 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 512
Rating: 5.0/5.0

Summary from Amazon:

"When Julie Jacobs inherits a key to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy, she is told that it will lead her to an old family treasure. Soon she is launched on a winding and perilous journey into the history of her ancestor Giulietta, whose legendary love for a young man named Romeo rocked the foundations of medieval Siena. As Julie crosses paths with the descendants of the families immortalized in Shakespeare’s unforgettable blood feud, she begins to realize that the notorious curse—“A plague on both your houses!”—is still at work, and that she is the next target. It seems that the only one who can save Julie from her fate is Romeo—but where is he?"

Review:

I didn't really know what this book was about when I bought it a couple of months ago. I had heard that it was really popular, and it had something to do with Romeo and Juliet. But I never expected this. I can't believe that I left this on my TBR pile for sooo long - this book kept me up until 2am one morning, it was that good. And I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for future Anne Fortier releases.

I think the main reason that this book kept me enthralled was the fact that two (yes, two) good, solid storylines were cleverly written and woven together. Chapters alternated between the present and the past, so it was almost like reading two separate stories. But, of course, each story related to the other, so reading them together gave rise to a really great story overall. I'm amazed by the amount of research that must have gone into writing this book - just for that reason alone you have to give it props. 

This is a book that almost anyone can read because it has managed to combine a whole array of different genres - romance was mixed with historical fiction and a little bit of mystery was thrown into the mix, making it a really interesting read. If I start talking about the character's I'm afraid I'll give something plot wise away, so I'll restrain myself. I'll finish by saying that if you only read one more book this year, make it this one. But, if the summary from Amazon and this review hasn't convinced you, maybe the trailer below will:

 

Book Review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Release Date: 9th April 2007
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 414
Rating: 4.0/5.0

Summary from Amazon:

"As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival."

Review:
I really enjoyed this book. And what I enjoyed most was the imagery of the circus. It just seemed so majestic...the description made me feel like I was really there, in the thick of it with the animals. Not only that, but it was a really easy book to read, and I really enjoy books that don't require me to do too much thinking - one of the main reasons why I read is to let my mind relax and journey someplace new and exciting.
The love story itself was also interesting to read, but I'm not sure if it's just me, or if the romance was jumpy. What I mean is, it didn't progress very well...to me it seemed that Jacob meets Marlena, and then a couple of pages later, for no apparent reason, he was declaring his love for her. Whether this was the writing style or just me, it impacted on how I read the book and how I responded to it overall - if the romance had been conveyed better, this book would definitely be a 4.5 or 5 out of 5. Even so, this is a really great book to read - anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, chick lit and animals is going to love this book