Alaska

    Nothing To Lose by J.A. Jance

    I’ve generally enjoyed J.A. Jance’s mysteries, although I have always preferred the series featuring J.P. Beaumont (Seattle-based detective) to those with Joanna Brady or Ali Reynolds (which kind of surprises me, given my usual preference for well-written female protagonists). Possibly it’s the fully developed, well-rounded though flawed character of recovered alcoholic Beau and my relating …

    The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

    Kristin Hannah’s books are beloved by millions (think The Nightingale), partly for their vivid descriptions of both place and people. They also evoke strong emotional responses to situations and relationship[s that may not be part of the reader’s everyday experience, but yet seem completely familiar because of the author’s skillful writing. So I was particularly …

    The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton

    I consider myself a fan of Rosamund Lupton, having read and enjoyed Sister and Afterwards. And there are things about her writing that I really enjoy: she can evoke strong emotions about the power of love like few authors I can think of, and (as she shows in her latest, The Quality of Silence) she can …