What I’m Reading, May 2012

East of the West: a Country in Stories by Miroslav Penkov
Born in Bulgaria, Penkov writes with great empathy of centuries of tumult while his characters mourn the way things were and long for things that will never be. He has a deft touch for exposing the vulnerable in every character, even tough ones.
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith (a No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novel)
In this latest episode in the beloved, best-selling series, the kindest and best detective in Botswana faces a tricky situation when her personal and professional lives become entangled. Assistant Grace Makutsi and orphan matron Mma Potokwane face major challenges as well and receive help from Precious.
The Marriage Plot, by Jeffrey Eugenides
Three college seniors move into adulthood in the 80s, their lives intertwined, in an on and off triangle. “A disarming novel about life, love, and discovery, set during a time when so much of life seems filled with deep portent.” Eugenides won the Pulitzer for a previous novel.
Murder by Mishap, by Suzanne Young (an Edna Davies mystery)
Edna’s accidental recovery of an heirloom brooch helps solve an old mystery but precipitates a murder. Matching wits with extortionists, arsonists and frauds, she must determine who is friend and who is foe before another person dies.

Bonnie McCune, author