The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson
The story: Tom Hawkins, the son of a gentleman, is sent to debtors' prison, Marshalsea, in 1700s London. While there, he learns about the murder of another prisoner, Captain Roberts--and that the main suspect is his cellmate, Samuel Fleet. Fleet is kind of a menacing weirdo, and Tom begins to worry … [Read more]
She Who Became the Sun: The Radiant Emperor Duology Book One by Shelley Parker-Chan
Beginning in 1340s China, She Who Became the Sun opens with a 10 year old girl, never named, living in utter poverty in a small village. She has already lost her mother and several siblings to starvation. The girl, her father and an older brother named Zhu are the only survivors. Zhu was meant to be … [Read more]
Dark is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce
Please note that I received this via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review. Honestly this is my own fault. The last book I read, Something in the Walls had promise, but the total execution of the book was off to me and the character development. Same issue here. Dark is When the … [Read more]
American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment by Shane Bauer
They convince themselves, with remarkable ease, that they are in the business of punishment, because it makes the world better, not because it makes them rich.” In 2014, Mother Jones reporter Shane Bauer went undercover as a guard at Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, Louisiana. Winn … [Read more]
Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway by Michael Riedel
Fittingly for a book about Broadway, Razzle Dazzle takes a big swing. It's an incredibly ambitious project, covering a wide span of territory, in time if not geography. Geographically, Riedel's main focus is on a slice of West 44th Street known as Shubert Alley. That's where the Shubert … [Read more]
Hopscotch by Brian Garfield
A few weeks ago I wrote about how delighted I am when I read the source material for a beloved movie and it turns out that the movie was a fantastic adaptation of a fantastic novel. I had a less rewarding experience with Hopscotch, which is rather a dull but light spy thriller written in 1975 and … [Read more]
