Books like The Three Widows of Wylder

Ms. Patzer’s writing is lilting and emotional in its building of character and setting in old Italy. You’ll feel you are right there as a young woman struggles with her mysterious past, a forbidden love, and the cruel superstitions that stand in her way. I rooted for Olivia, who has no idea what danger her very birth has caused.

I fell in love with the atmosphere and plot. Also, the different setting not normally seen in most historicals: 13th century Tuscany. I could taste the food, smell the aromas, and see the sweeping countryside. The life in a convent felt authentic, and the drama, the heroine’s determination to discover her past, kept me reading.

Set in thirteenth-century England. Ms. Morris weaves a tale of turbulence, greed, murder, and much more. I loved her historical details in an era that must be difficult to research. Yvonne is a heroine you will instantly care about as her life is upended in so many ways. The fast pace had me riveted to the story. Ms. Morris has you walking the dank halls of a castle, breathing in the smoky fires, and brooding for Yvonne as she faces the demands and restrictions on medieval women who had little control over their lives. The political maneuverings around her are also well-researched. Each character stands out. A tour de force.

I’m a fan of Daphne du Maurier and Mary Stewart, and The Baron’s Wife reminded me of those stellar authors. A young wife, a mysterious, windswept residence, a man with a shady past, Ms. Andersen weaves these details together in an intriguing plot. Her descriptions of the ocean-battered shores of Cornwall at Wolfram Abbey, and the murder that may or may not have happened at Laura’s new husband’s hands, had me gripped to my seat. Laura grows braver each day as she tries to solve the mystery and believe in her husband. Emotionally charged, this novel is a nail-biter. This is Victorian Gothic at its best. One of my favorites.

Ms. Swift’s lyrical writing immediately enthralled me in this unusual story. Alice, stuck in an arranged marriage in 1660 England, uses her skills to protect an orchid called the Lady’s Slipper. But her nemesis, Richard, also her landlord, wants it for other reasons. Their animosity changes to attraction, and I loved the emotions between them. Ms. Swift writes with skill about the Quakers, the era, and a forbidden love. She easily weaves history with heartbreak, and I devoured this story, never wanting it to end. The drama never drags, and I could not put it down. Later, I met Ms. Swift at a writers’ conference, and she’s a sweet, humble woman. One of my all-time favorite novels.

David has lost his wife far too early. A man in mourning, he relives their twenty years together and sees that the ground beneath them had shifted and he had simply not noticed, or was it more that he had chosen not to. The writing here is spectacular and the theme of love and loss so very moving. Set between Ireland and Spain, McMahon captures the sublime and mundane nature of long-term love with exceptional skill. Another reason I like this book is that in my debut novel, my main character Maurice Hannigan, while very different from David, was also a widower, and naturally, the issue of loss figured heavily so I feel a bond to this book that is very special.

This is a splendid exposition of the House of Lords in a crucial mid-Tudor period. Although it covers a relatively short period of time, it can do so because the author is so expert in his chosen field. Like all other books in this list, it concentrates on the procedures and work record of parliament and its constituent houses. However, it also looks at the composition of the house (the English Lords contained bishops and previously abbots and priors) and also the quality of those who sat—education, background, etc. With limited resources Graves also produces chapters on attendance, activity, and the management of business. It is both an in-depth but particularly accessible guide.   

Back to pure history! At one point, I was the founder and publisher—the Head Goose—of Goosebottom Books. Of all the books we published, this title is my favorite. Gretchen Maurer, the author, did a great job of presenting a very complex and nuanced story in a way that makes it human and understandable to young readers, without side-stepping the facts. The book design and illustration are remarkable and evoke the rich Tudor aesthetic. But what I love most about this book is that it presents the antihero to my childhood hero, Elizabeth I of England, and raises the question: just how fair was history? One of these two sisters became known as Bloody Mary, the other as Good Queen Bess. Did they fully deserve those reputations?

Eventually, I recommend a work of fiction.

Micro-psychology by a brilliant storyteller, this was the first of Proulx’s books that I ever read, even though it was the last of the Wyoming trilogy. I went on to read the rest – and then more of her work.

Proulx draws me into the characters, their lives, the plot, setting, and atmosphere, using cleverly interpretative, and uniquely descriptive language. Just a few of her words and I am inside the story. I have been to Wyoming, taking the trilogy for company, although I had read them previously.

Some of her stories remain firmly fixed in my head, and I can re-read them without ever becoming bored. 

This is the perfect mix of politics and crime fiction, illustrating the old saying that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Like all the books in this series, I thoroughly enjoy C.J. Box showing me the Wyoming he knows so well, the state’s harsh winters with snow so deep it literally comes up your thighs, the abundant wildlife, and the people.

I love how the story begins with the hero, game warden Joe Pickett, investigating the disappearance of a well-to-do British woman from an elite guest ranch and then unexpectedly spirals headlong into green energy corruption.

Mostly, I appreciate Box’s depiction of self-serving politicians going up against an unassuming game warden who just wants to do his job and go home to his loving family. 

This book is an irresistible thriller about Grace Evans, an overworked New Yorker who rents an Airbnb on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming for some rest and relaxation and stumbles upon an intriguing rancher and townsfolk with secrets to keep.

The sexual attraction between Grace and Calvin Wells, the handsome rancher, kept me turning the pages. I never saw the shocking twist coming at the end. It made me think twice about booking a vacation rental in a remote area without cell service!

I devoured this novel in a few days, making it a good choice for a quick beach read.