Amy T. recommends “Miss Benson’s Beetle” by Rachel Joyce. This fun adventure story is about following your dreams, even when they lead you on a quest across the ocean to a remote island. Even if they require you to hack your way through the dense jungle, with a sidekick who never stops talking. The story is set in 1950’s London. Margery Benson is fed up with her boring life as a spinster school teacher. One day she walks out of her job, her heart set on pursuing her lifelong dream of finding the golden beetle of New Caledonia. Her assistant is her polar opposite, the attractive Enid Pretty, a woman with a checkered past and a need to get out of town fast. Amy’s favorite scenes are between these two characters as they conquer the challenges of nature and friendship.
Maureen H. finds “The Ascent” by Adam Platinga to be a wild and thrilling read. It follows Kurt, a former Detroit street cop who, though rough around the edges, is an honest man and an extremely good fighter. Through a series of unfortunate events, he finds himself getting booked into a notorious Missouri prison at the same time as malfunctions in the prison’s digitally controlled door system begin to cause cells to unlock. Elsewhere in the prison is Julie, the governor’s daughter, who is on a tour for a grad school assignment. As things quickly go from bad to worse and dangerous predators begin to “hunt” the prison halls, Kurt and Julie must make it to the roof of the building in order to get a cell signal to call for help. The mission is full of violence, fear, quick thinking and luck (good and bad), with vivid (bordering on gory) descriptions throughout. If you like exciting, danger-filled stories, you will really enjoy this book.
Mark C. is watching “Ruthless: Monopoly’s Secret History.” Discover how the popular board game we think we all know ironically has its roots in early feminism, economic activism and the Quaker community of Atlantic City. the lid gets blown off this carefully guarded corporate secret when a San Francisco State University professor decides to fight a cease-and-desist letter from Parker Brothers – all the way to the Supreme Court.
