The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan

 

This is the first Gilly Macmillan book I have read. I have been assured that The Burning Library is not a good representation of her usual books. That being the case, and as promising as this book was, I will read more of her work.

Two rival organizations, both formed to advance women to powerful positions, are after an ancient artifact known as The Book of Wonder.  One organization, the Larks, seeks to advance women directly. At the same time, the other —the Order of St. Katherine —believes a woman's power lies in being the one in the shadows, manipulating powerful men. Neither organization is above murder to achieve its goals. 

Enter Anya Brown, a newly minted PhD student whose paper on solving the puzzling Folio 9 document gained her international attention. The Larks, thinking that Anya is the key to finding the missing artifact, give her an offer she can't refuse. Not suspecting the danger she is putting herself and her family in, Anya accepts the position and begins solving the puzzles related to the manuscript. It doesn't take long before Anya must decide between family and career. The decision has life-or-death consequences.

I liked the book's premise — advancing women to positions of power — but not so much the methods both groups used to achieve their goals. I also liked the descriptions of the puzzles Anya solved to try to find The Book of Wonder. They reminded me of Dan Brown's book, The Da Vinci Code, only without the one-paragraph chapters. What I didn't like was the ending. As it approached, I checked whether this was the first book in a series because there was so much to wrap up. Instead, Macmillan rushed the ending with broad explanations that weren't particularly satisfying. The Burning Library is a thought-provoking book; it just needed a better ending. 

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is November 18, 2025. 

3/5 stars.

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A Slowly Dying Cause by Elizabeth George

 It's been quite a while since I delved into an Inspector Lynley book, but this one, set in the familiar landscapes of Cornwall, felt like a warm reunion. The setting, so reminiscent of my own experiences there, brought back a flood of fond memories. A Slowly Dying Cause felt like an old friend, welcoming me back with open arms.

When Michael Lobb is found murdered in his workshop by an agent of a mining company intent on acquiring his land, suspicion initially falls on the agent. Pressure is on Inspector Barbara Hannaford to solve the murder, so when a company employee appears to confess, Hannaford thinks the case is solved--but she isn't convinced the case is airtight. When Inspector Thomas Lynley, in Cornwall, attending to estate business, offers to take a look, Hannaford eagerly takes him up on the offer. Sergeant Barbara Havers is also in Cornwall with Lynley, but she is re-investigating the case on behalf of the accused's family. At first, Lynley and Havers appear to be at cross-purposes, but they soon join forces to solve the murder. 

At 650 pages, it seemed like George was ranging far afield with so many subplots. That proved not to be the case, however, by the time she wrapped up the storylines. The book's pacing was steady, keeping me engaged throughout. This book is well-plotted with interesting characters and situations. I was disappointed by the lack of repercussions for a couple of the characters, but overall, this was a satisfying read. 

4.5/5 stars.

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The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen

 I am rereading this series because I started it so long ago and lost track of it around book three. I know I liked the characters and premise, but I wish I'd remembered more about this particular book. Had I remembered the graphic rape depiction and the animal cruelty, I would have skipped it. As it was, I was too invested in the book when those events occurred to stop.

The file of a 20-year-old murder of a brother and sister mysteriously appears on Carl Morck's desk. What's odd is that the case was apparently solved, and the confessed murderer is behind bars. When Morck and his assistant, Assad, try to find out who added the file to their stack of cold cases, their superiors tell them to drop it. That is the wrong thing to tell Morck. As Morck and Assad begin investigating, they find the key to the murders is a homeless woman, Kimmie, hiding from a group of influential individuals. Twenty years ago, Kimmie and the men formed a gang while in school and preyed on helpless individuals. With their past about to be exposed, the three men also begin looking for Kimmie--to silence her permanently. Now the race is on to find the elusive Kimmie. 

Aside from the two issues mentioned above, I liked the book. Admittedly, it is dark, and the deeds done by Kimmie and the men were disturbing, but I found myself caught up in the search for Kimmie and her ability to hide in plain sight. Despite what she did in the past, the current-day Kimmie is a sympathetic character who is damaged. The three men are pure evil, and I rooted for Kimmie to exact her revenge. The book's pacing is well-balanced, keeping the reader engaged throughout. 

3/5 stars.

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Look to Windward by Iain M. Banks

The Culture space opera continues in this, the seventh, in the Culture series. Banks's humor and intricate plot make this book a standout in the series.

Eight hundred years after the Idiran war, the aftermath, the light from two suns, the Idrians exploded, killing millions, is finally reaching the Culture Masaq' Orbital. To honor the loss of life, a symphony by the Chel composer Ziller will be performed. Ziller does not want to return to his home world, so a former soldier, Major Quilan, himself grieving over the death of his wife in the recent Chel civil war, is sent to convince Ziller to come home. Or so that is said to be the purpose of his visit--Ziller is convinced Quilan was sent to kill him. This creates tension on the Orbital as Ziller threatens to walk out on his own symphony performance. 

I am continually impressed by how well Banks does dialogue.  The back-and-forth between characters is both humorous and excellently written. Additionally, the plotting and pacing are spot-on. The characters are sympathetic, especially Major Quilan, and the clash of wills between the temperamental Ziller and those trying to coax him into conducting his symphony is a welcome sideline. 

I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Matter, to see what Banks does next. 

5/5 stars.

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Atmosphhere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I cannot believe this is a TJR book. It is so unlike her other fantastic books that I couldn't finish it. Granted, much of this is my fault. I don't like the romance genre, and this was tagged as a romance novel, but since I love all things space-related, I thought I could skim the romance parts. Wrong. The central theme was Joan coming to terms with her sexual identity; the NASA parts were a backdrop. 

Joan Goodwin, a physics and astronomy professor, was accepted as an astronaut candidate at the start of the space shuttle era. Pitted against her fellow candidates, Joan is the glue holding the fragile relationships together. She is especially drawn to the enigmatic Vanessa. As their relationship moves beyond friendship, they risk jeopardizing their careers for love. 

Switching back and forth in time between a shuttle mission that goes awry and the newly formed bonds among the candidates, we get to know the individuals grouped with Joan. What was particularly annoying was Joan's relationship with her sister. Joan was a doormat, bearing the burden of caring for her niece while also facing the pressures of being an astronaut candidate. This, plus her deepening relationship with Vanessa and the related politics, would have been too much for a lesser person. Not so for Joan. 

I'm sorry to say I couldn't handle the drama between Joan, Vanessa, and Joan's sister. I finally gave up at the 50% mark. I rarely DNF a book, especially by an author I like, so admitting defeat was difficult. On the positive side, the insights into NASA and the astronaut training were good. The book was fast-paced, and the shuttle situation was engrossing, but overall, it wasn't for me. My opinion is in the minority, but I couldn't take any more. 

2/5 stars. 

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My Darkest Prayer by S.A. Cosby

 

I loved S.A. Cosby's other four books, so I was looking forward to reading this, his debut novel. I'm happy this book wasn't my introduction to the author, or I probably wouldn't have picked up any of the others. It's good to know he has grown so much as a writer, and I look forward to more from him.

When a pastor is found dead, and law enforcement is calling it suicide, parishioners turn to Nathan Waymaker, a former sheriff's deputy who now works in his cousin's mortuary, to investigate. Scraping the surface of the man's life, Nate uncovers an unsavory character, who, though much loved by his parishioners, is corrupt and associated with gangsters. The more he digs, the more his own life is in danger. 

The story, while good, relies too much on stereotypes and gratuitous sex and violence. There were implausible situations, such as the admiration Nate received from a gangster and his almost superpowers in fights, whether fists or guns. There were a couple of good characters, but mostly they were unlikable--even his love interest came off as shallow. I'm chalking this up as an ambitious first effort that didn't quite do it for me. 

2.5/5 stars.

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Eva's Eye by Karin Fossum

Author Karin Fossum came highly recommended by two of my bookish friends, whose recommendations I take seriously. Also, my recent trip to Norway has piqued my interest in Scandinavian authors, Norwegians in particular. I like to read a series in order, so even though this book is quite old, I decided to give it a try.

Eva Magnus is a struggling artist and single parent who is living hand-to-mouth. When she and her daughter discover a man's body in a river, instead of reporting it to the police, she keeps it a secret. The body is later found and identified as a brewery worker, missing for over six months, with a wife and small child. Inspector Sejer begins investigating and notices that at the time the man went missing, a prostitute was found murdered. Sejer senses a connection, and oddly enough, he finds Eva linked to both people. Now it's up to him to prove her guilt or innocence. 

I enjoyed how Fossum made clear who the killer was, then went back in time to show what led up to both killings. Eva is a sympathetic character, and the moral and financial dilemmas she faces made me root for her. I also liked Sejer and how he went about solving both murders. Overall, I liked the book, and I am willing to try the next book in the series. 

4/5 stars. 

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