Too Much and Never Enough

During the past few months I have seen Mary L.Trump, clinical psychologist and niece of Donald Trump, interviewed about her uncle's latest display of appalling behaviour plus lack of understanding of the needs of the people he was supposed to lead. I was therefore interested to read her assessment of her uncle in Too Much and Never Enough: How my family created the world's most dangerous man. 

Fred Trump ruled the Trump family - he held the purse strings. His parents had migrated to the USA from Germany and his mother helped Fred continue and develop the family real estate business. Fred and his wife had five children - three sons and two daughters. The author is the daughter of the eldest son who did not meet his father's expectations. Donald, the second son, on the other hand learned how to impress his father and became the favoured son.

The Trump family is definitely a disfunctional family and the author describes how this family environment resulted in developing the character of the man who unfortunately became president of the USA and still has many followers. Much of the book reveals how Donald Trump conducted his business interests (not very successfully) and the division of the family fortune when her grandfather died. This story is far from over.

The Godmothers

Although Eliza Miller was brought up in a single parent family she knew that she could always rely on the support of her two godmothers, Olivia and Maxie, even when they were working overseas. Eliza's mother had told her that the truth about her father would be revealed on Eliza's 18th birthday. Unfortunately, Jeanie, Eliza's mother died when when Eliza was 17. Thirteen years later when Eliza visited her godmothers in Edinburgh she decided that it was time to discover the truth about her family.

Set in Australia, Scotland and Ireland The Godmothers by Monica McInerney is a book about relationships, family secrets and the strength to explore new directions.

Murmur

Murmur by Will Eaves was one of the finalists for the James Tait Black Award for 2019. This fortunately short book is a challenging read. 

The work of fiction is loosely based on the final years of the life of Alan Turing, the famous code breaker at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. The main character is Alec Pryor who struggles to cope after having endured regular chemical treatment plus counselling to cure him of homosexual tendencies that were definitely not tolerated in England in the early 1950s.

Much of the book describes halluciations experienced by Alec as he moves into an unreal world recreating scenes from the past as well as incorporating current fears wildly affected by his treatment. Many of the events are viewed through distorted mirrors in his mind. Interspersed is correspondendence between Alec and his friend June as they try to decipher what is happening to him. When the treatment ends the murmurs begin to recede but do not entirely go away.

Offshore

Offshore is a collection of short stories, primarily by Ann Cleeves, published as an e-book. The stories include:

Secrets of the Soil - Willow Reeves returns home when her father discovers a body in the sand, reminding her of her earlier life on a commune when she was growing up

The Writer in Residence - Jackie Tait returns to Shetland to discover the truth about an apparent suicide many years previously (Jimmy Perez makes an appearance at the end of the story)

The spinster - As Joan does her knitting she recalls events that occurred when the miners first came to the island (a Jimmy Perez story)

Stranded - A young student meets a young girl at a party, but who is she really?

Smoothmothers - Three people from the south spend the evening at a pub - only one survives. When Jimmy Perez investigates a story from the past is revealed

Hector's Other Woman - When Vera and her father visit Holy Island, her father slops away for an encounter with another woman. Thirty-five years later Vera and the other woman meet.

The Pirate - When artist, Maureen Dance, noticed the young girl wearing the pirate hat she kew that the past had returned to the island.

Stranded in Skokholm by Lynne Chitty (featuring George and Mollie Palmer-Jones)  - Thge discovery of a postcard on the ground produces questions about the owner of the card and the person who sent it.

A collection of miscellaneous short (sometimes very short) stories set in the northern islands of Scotland.

Too good to be true

Too good to be true by Ann Cleeves slots in between Thin Air and Cold Earth so in lists is 6.2 in the Shetland series, although it is not set in Shetland. Jimmy Perez's former wife has asked him to help solve a crime that local police have decided was a suicide. Local gossips decide that Sarah's husband had an affair with the school teacher whose body was recently discovered. Perez agrees to look at the case but warns that he has only two days before he must return to Shetland. Jimmy Perez soon discovers another community with secrets to hide.

This novella is only 94 pages and is published as part of the Quick Read series designed to introduce well known authors to adults who want a quick read or may not have read for pleasure for a while. The story is therefore slight compared to Ann Cleeves normal novels but I can see the value in the Quick Read series in introducing books to readers.

Cosolation

Paul Hirschhausen (Hirsch) is the sole police constable in the rural community of Tiverton, South Australia. His role in the town should primarily be community policing and he spends much of his time travelling around the properties in the area ensuring that all is well and assisting when required. 

Investigating a case concerning a snowdropper working in the district is one of his major concerns until he recieves a phone call about a young girl being mistreated by her family. A phone call from another school alerts him about a father who is threatening the school principal. Then Hirsch's life becomes busy. In a short time there are murders to investigate, a man and his son on the run threatening community members, a group of Irishmen attempting to con elderly residents and a serious case of fraud to investigate.

This is a fast paced crime novel keeping the reader involved and guessing as more aspects of the plot are revealed. But it is also a novel about Hirsch, both as a policeman and as human being. We also learn more about life in a small country community, several hours drive from Adelaide. 

Consolation by Garry Disher is the third book in the Hirsch series. I recommend that this book should be read when you have time to relax and just read as once I started reading I did not want to be interrupted. I now look forward to the next instalment in the series.

Sight

Sight by Jessie Greengrass was one of the finalists in the novel category for the 2019 James Tait Black Prize. 

In the novel an unnamed woman about to give birth to a second child recounts events and fears that occurred during her first pregnancy. She also remembers how the death of her mother affected her some years earlier and the relationship that she had with her grandmother. Interwoven with these memories are accounts of significant events in medical history - Willhelm Rontgen's discovery of the X-ray, Sigmund Freud's development of psychoanalysis and John Hunter's work with his brother William and the artist Jan van Rymsdk in investigating the anatomy of pregnancy.

The different themes of the book are skilfully interwoven and portrayed in three main sections resulting in conveying the protagonist's fears of impending parenthood and her ability to cope as a mother. It is a moving account of the experiences of many approaching motherhood.

Shetland

When reading and enjoying the eight books in the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves I also borrowed from the library this illustrated non-fiction book by Ann Cleeves describing the islands of Shetland and how they influenced her novels. Shetland was written after the completion of the first six novels in the series.

The first four books in the series - Raven Black, White Nights, Red Bones and Blue Lightning - were written as the Four Seasons Quartet. The next four - Dead Water, Thin Air, Cold Earth and Wild Fire - formed the Four Elements Quartet.

The weather is a dominant feature of the islands so each section of the book involves one of the seasons. As well as descriptions of the physical features of the islands, photographs show us the beauty of the landscape and the wildlife who inhabit the different islands at various times of the year. We also learn about the families living in Shetland (often for many generations) how they live, customs, occupations old and new plus festivals and other entertainment.

The author often provides background information about incidents relating specifically to Shetland that feature in the novels. If you enjoy reading the books you will enjoy this guide to the islands that feature so prominently in each novel.

Ann Cleeves - the Shetland murders

Wild Fire

Wild Fire, the eighth and final book in the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves, is largely about disfunctional families and relationships as well as a study of the attitude of islanders to incomers. 

When a family from England moves to Shetland to live in a house they have purchased and renovated the locals are not impressed. When the body of the original owner of the house is found hanging in the byre on the property some local residents increase their hostility, even though the death was declared suicide. Consequently when the body of a nanny who looks after the children of the local doctor is found dead in the same location consternation from some community members increases.

As Jimmy Perez, Willow Reeves and Sandy Wilson investigate the case we learn of tensions that exist between members of the two families - adults and children - most involved in the case as well as issues in other families. Gossip concerning events in this small isolated community has a tendency to spread like wild fire, often making the investigation of the case more difficult. 

When Willow arrives in Shetland she also has news for Jimmy that causes him to reevaluate what he wants from life. Sandy also makes an important decision. The environment of the Shetland islands once again forms a major feature of the book.

Cold Earth

After a long illness Magnus Tait died however his burial was interrupted when a landslide of mud and water passed through the cemetery on its way to the sea. During its journey the landslide crashed through a croft in its path and when the house was later checked the body of a woman was found. Who was the woman, why was she in the supposedly unoccupied house and why was she murdered are just some of the questions faced by Jimmy Perez, Willow Reeves and Sandy Wilson as they investigate.

Once again the midwinter Shetland landscape sets the scene for this novel. The police need to uncover long held secrets of members of the local community as they end up investigating two murders which are probably connected. As the novel progresses we also learn more about the lives, concerns and fears of those investigating the crimes.

Cold Earth is number 7 the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves.

Thin Air

When friends from university travelled to Unst, the most notherly island in Shetland, to celebrate hamefarin', part of wedding celebrations in the Shetland Islands, Eleanor, one of the visitors, disappears. Eleanor had been preparing a documentary on ghost sightings, including the story of Peerie Lizzie, a child who drowned in the 1930s and whose ghost is reported to have been seen at times dancing on the beach. When Eleanor's body appears to have disappeared into thin air unease sweeps through the small community. Jimmy Perez and Willow Reeves once again team up to investigate Eleanor's murder and subsequent murders on the island.

Thin Air is number six in the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves. As in the other books it is the islands of Shetland, the people, traditions and the weather that feature prominently throughout the book. The story of the lives of those involved in the investigation -Jimmy, Willow and Sandy - is also important. Once again I enjoyed visiting the world of Shetland as secrets were uncovered and the crimes solved.