Reviews

Val’s Book Reviews The Secret of Bell Island by Mike Phelan Victoria: FriesenPress, 2021 $28.99 / 9781039127296 This author has written a very thought-provoking story set on Bell Island in Newfoundland during two time periods – the Second World War and the present-day — which also makes for an intriguing narrative of a relationship between […]

Val’s Book Reviews Deadly Triangle: The Famous Architect, His Wife, Their Chauffeur, and Murder Most Foul by Susan Goldenberg Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2022$23.99 / 9781459750302 Anyone who lives in British Columbia’s capital city or has visited the beautiful city of Victoria and admired the Parliament buildings and the world-famous Empress Hotel in the harbour, will

Val’s Book Reviews Canada, By Jove by Betty Annand Airdrie, Alberta: BWL [Books We Love] Publishing, 2021$16.99   /  9780228619437 (Amazon price and Amazon print ISBN) Betty Annand’s book, Canada, By Jove, is a charming tale of two young brothers, Ernest (Ernie) and Hubert (Bert) White, who leave England in 1910 for an adventure in Canada.

Val’s Book Reviews Definitely Not James Herriot: A Memoir, of Sorts by Jocelyn Reekie Campbell River: Peregrin Publishing, 2022$21.95 / 9781896402208 Jocelyn Reekie’s small book is a delightful treasure for anyone who loves animals. This short memoir covers Reekie’s life from the time she discovered a passion for animals as a child in Saskatchewan. Her

Val’s Book Reviews Why I’m Here: A Novel by Jill Frayne Edmonton: NeWest Press, 2022$21.95 / 9781774390498 Jill Frayne’s book Why I’m Here is a combination of the strong pull of family, overwhelming heartache and puzzling mystery. The book is a compelling read set against the fierce splendour of the Yukon. The protagonist, Helen Cotillard,

Val’s Book Reviews Following the Telegraph Trail: A Trek of a Lifetime by Irene J. Huntley Victoria: FriesenPress, 2021 $14.99 / 9781039110441 Irene J. Huntley has written a worthy little book — Following the Telegraph Trail — which documents the adventurous trek taken by her father, Don Huntley, and his friend, Gunnar Nillson, in 1956,

Val’s Book Reviews Between a Rock and a Hard Place: A Dutch Policeman Fighting the Nazi Occupation by Johanna Van Zanten Las Vegas: Histria Books (Addison & Highsmith Publishers), 2021 $29.99 / 9781592111022 I always enjoy books set in World War Two, especially those that tell stories of lesser known aspects of the war. Such

Val’s Book Reviews The Call of the Red-Winged Blackbird: Essays on the Common and Extraordinary by Tim Bowling Hamilton, ON: Wolsak & Wynn, 2022 $22.00 / 9781989496428 It is always a delightful surprise to discover a book you would not normally read, only to find it extremely enjoyable. Such was the case for me with

Val’s Book Reviews The Darkness in the Light by Daniel Kalla Toronto: Simon & Schuster Canada, 2022 $24.99 / 9781982191399 If you enjoy gripping, psychological thrillers, Daniel Kalla’s book The Darkness in The Light will hold your attention to the very end. The story takes place in Anchorage, Alaska, and in the remote world of