Expertly written, highly detailed, and vividly imagined, this is an outstanding work of historical fiction/alternate history which pulled me in with its prose and story from page 1. Even at 700 pages, I did not feel it was too long, rather I was sad for it to end because I wanted more. For those that follow my reviews, you know I prefer books on the short side but this was so fun and so epic that I don't think it would have been the same shorter.
In 1860, Alexander Ferguson, a newly ordained vicar and amateur evolutionary scientist, takes up his new parish, a poor, isolated patch on the remote Scottish island of Harris. He hopes to uncover the truth behind the legend of the selkies mermaids or seal people who have been sighted off the north of Scotland for centuries. He has a more personal motive, too; family legend states that Alexander is descended from seal men.
Zak Darke is sent on what seems like a straightforward surveillance op in South Africa but it soon turns into the toughest, most dangerous mission he has ever faced. An old enemy has teamed up with a terrifying gang of child soldiers and Zak is caught in the middle.
Michael Wallace has done it again! The Red Rooster is a gripping historical fiction about a young woman from Spain, a refugee in Nazi-occupied Paris, simply struggling to stay alive until she unwittingly finds herself entangled in a daring French resistance plot that reaches to the upper levels of the German SS and beyond.
China Bayles never fails to entertain. This latest book in one of my all-time favourite series is another winner. In it we've got dual story lines and dual murders as well as art fraud and building code boondoggles. You couldn't ask for more excitement. Then add lots of valuable and interesting herb lore and throw in a few really good recipes and you've got vintage China Bayles. I have loved this series for a number of years now and look forward to each new book in the series. China's family is growing through the years, but her friends are just as endearing as they were from the first book. Ruby Wilcox and Sheila Dawson (Smart Cookie) are perennial favorites.
