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A crowd shot of the cast of characters dressed in period clothing.

Dickensian

Angie Engles Leave a comment
A crowd shot of the cast of characters dressed in period clothing.

by Angie E.

I watched Dickensian for the first time a few years ago and loved it far more than I could have dreamed, especially since I am not a big Dickens fan and had already kind of half-formed in my mind what the series would be like. I could not have been more wrong and, despite hoping to watch it piecemeal so it would last as long as possible, I still ended up binge-watching it. I recommended it to some customers and they came back later and told me they loved it, too, and we got to talk about it, which I always find one of the best parts about reading a book or watching a show. 

To describe it would hardly do it justice, the more I like something the harder it is for me to write about it. But if I had to say, Dickensian is where beloved characters of Charles Dickens’ novels cross paths in a gripping mix of mystery, romance, and intrigue. The show twists together the fates of figures like the ruthless Jacob Marley, the ambitious young Miss Havisham, and the ever-resilient orphaned street boy, intertwining their lives in unexpected and dramatic ways. 

Secrets hide in every shadow, fortunes rise and fall, and revenge boils beneath the surface, all leading to shocking revelations that keep you on the edge of your seat. With a world so richly imagined and characters so vividly brought to life, this series is a captivating re-imagining of Dickens’ literary universe, offering surprises even for the most devoted fans. Despite not being a Dickens fan, I have always been drawn to Miss Havisham’s tragic back story and, sure enough, in Dickensian her life is as mesmerizing as it is heartbreaking. Tuppence Middleton is outstanding as Miss Havisham and, dare I say, may be the best one ever! 

Whether you’re a lifelong devotee or stepping into Dickens’ world for the first time, it invites you to linger in its darkened corners, where every twist and turn reveals a story waiting to unfold. If you’d rather stream Dickensian than watch it on DVD, it is available for FREE on Kanopy, Tubi and on The Roku Channel.

Angie is an Instructor & Research Specialist at Central Branch and is a co-facilitator for Reads of Acceptance, HCLS’ first LGBTQ-focused book club. Her ideal day is reading in her cozy armchair, with her cat Henry next to her.

Brightly colored, large italicized lettering appears doubled on a black cover. Stickers added for New York Times best seller and the Good Morning America Book Club.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

Kristen B. Leave a comment
Brightly colored, large italicized lettering appears doubled on a black cover. Stickers added for New York Times best seller and the Good Morning America Book Club.

by Kristen B.

As the story begins, the main character is finishing a series of rather hush-hush job interviews. When she learns she got the new position, she hears the words, “We have time travel.” Welcome to The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, which plays with the notion that sometime in the future, we figure out how to travel in time.

It’s one of the biggest question about time travel: Can we improve the present – avert some disaster – by changing the past? This story seems a little different, more scientific at the start – wondering if it’s even possible for humans to exist outside of their own time. The Ministry devises an experiment where they “rescue” certain individuals known to have died in tragic or terrible ways: a doomed trip to discover the Northwest Passage, a plague house in the 1600s, the trenches of WWI, and other such horrible histories. Those individuals feel more like they’ve been kidnapped than rescued.

The book’s narrator, who gets that job with the Ministry (but never a name), is assigned to be a bridge between Graham Gore, officer of the Royal Navy in the early nineteenth century, and her time period in near future London. She insists on referring to him as being Victorian, but his time was actually just before Victoria’s reign began. The first third of the book delights in Gore’s observations of modern life and conveniences. But clearly, something is amiss in the Ministry. The main character just can’t quite figure it out but strange happenings keep occuring, like her handler being assassinated at a public event and certain time travelers being invisible to scanners. Other things don’t add up either, although it becomes clear there are warring factions within the Ministry. No one is quite sure who to trust.

Graham and our narrator spend almost all their time together: learning modern skills like riding a bike (which eventually improves to a motorcycle), touring museums, and going to pubs with other time traveler/bridge pairs. One session admiring a Turner exhibit at the Tate is particularly insightful. Graham becomes good friends with two other people out of time, one of whom is my favorite character. Maggie was left to die in a plague house, but she comes to embrace London’s club scene and dating apps where she can be openly gay. These friendships prove to be crucial not only to the characters’ well-being, but to the ultimate resolution of the story.

On top of the fascinating premise, the author has a gorgeous way with words. One character is described as, “Despite being out of uniform, he looked oddly formal, as if he was as the sole person in serif font.” I don’t want to spoil the surprise of this excellent debut. What ensues in the second half of the book is a complete mash-up of time travel, spy thriller, and romance into a beautifully written novel about the dangers of colonialism. Bradley really does tell you everything you need to know in the first chapter, only I didn’t realize it until I re-read it after the devastatingly bonkers ending. This is a book I’ll think about often and already have plans to re-read.

You can borrow the book in print or large print now, but there’s a bit of wait for the e-book and e-audiobook versions.

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball (but not all at the same time).

An elaborate brick house with railed porches on the second floor and turrets, with a blooming pink cherry tree in the bottom right. The sky appears to have storm clouds piling above, with the title in fine white type.

Our House by Louise Candish

Angie Engles Leave a comment
An elaborate brick house with railed porches on the second floor and turrets, with a blooming pink cherry tree in the bottom right. The sky appears to have storm clouds piling above, with the title in fine white type.

by Angie E.

Louise Candlish is known for her domestic suspense and intricately woven stories. With a keen eye for detail and a talent for exploring the complexities of human relationships, she immerses readers in suspenseful tales that often blur the lines between right and wrong. Her ability to create relatable characters facing moral dilemmas resonates deeply with audiences, drawing them into a world where secrets and betrayals lurk just beneath the surface. Candlish’s skillful storytelling and gift for plot twists have earned her a devoted following, making her a standout voice in contemporary fiction.

Our House, which won the 2019 Crime & Thriller of the Year award at the British Book Awards, blends psychological tension with a fresh narrative construction. Fiona Lawson returns home one day to find strangers moving into her South London house. The shock of discovering that her estranged husband, Bram, has sold their family home without her knowledge sets off a chain of events that spirals into a nightmare.

Candlish stands out in creating a claustrophobic atmosphere, making readers feel the protagonist’s growing sense of helplessness and desperation. The novel delves deep into themes of trust, betrayal, and the fragility of relationships. Fiona’s journey is not just about reclaiming her home but also about uncovering the layers of deceit within her marriage. Our House’s exploration of the concept of “bird’s nest custody,” where parents rotate living in the family home to provide stability for their children, is both innovative and thought-provoking. This arrangement, meant to protect the family, ironically becomes the catalyst for the unraveling of their lives.

While the novel is undeniably suspenseful, it also offers moments of introspection and empathy. Fiona’s character is complex and flawed, making her empathetic and human. Her journey from a seemingly perfect wife and mother to a woman fighting to reclaim her life is both heart-wrenching and empowering. The pacing is perfect, balancing moments of quiet reflection with heart-pounding revelations that leave you gasping. Just when you think you’ve pieced together the truth, the narrative flips, leaving you questioning your own assumptions. Candlish’s ability to weave in social commentary—particularly regarding the implications of social media and the concept of ‘home’—adds an extra layer of depth, prompting readers to consider how well they truly know the people closest to them.

Our House by Louise Candlish is available in print and e-audiobook.

Angie is an Instructor & Research Specialist at Central Branch and is a co-facilitator for Reads of Acceptance, HCLS’ first LGBTQ-focused book club. Her ideal day is reading in her cozy armchair, with her cat Henry next to her.

The book cover depicts a woman running across London Bridge at night, with her coat and long hair flying out behind her and several bright lights emanating from the bridge above her, shown against a cloudy, dark blue-green sky.

Alias Emma by Ava Glass

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The book cover depicts a woman running across London Bridge at night, with her coat and long hair flying out behind her and several bright lights emanating from the bridge above her, shown against a cloudy, dark blue-green sky.

By Julie F.

Alias Emma by Ava Glass is a strong debut novel, a spy thriller with a lot of clever nods to the history of the genre. Even though Kim Sherwood has recently published two books in her series about a woman in the double-O universe (Double or Nothing and A Spy Like Me, both authorized by the Ian Fleming estate), you could reasonably consider Glass’s main character, Emma Makepeace, as part of a tradition of propulsive action and daredevil exploits reminiscent of Fleming’s James Bond. In terms of Emma’s quick thinking and survival skills, there are also shades of Emma Peel from The Avengers. Finally, Emma’s handler, Ripley, might make you think of two disparate characters who nonetheless pull all the strings and hold most of the cards in their respective fictional espionage worlds: the enigmatic George Smiley from John Le Carre’s novels and Mick Herron’s obnoxious but brilliant head of Slough House, Jackson Lamb. (Side note: It’s a testimony to the acting skill of Gary Oldman that he has portrayed both Lamb (Slow Horses) and Smiley (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) to great acclaim. Both are fantastic performances and well-crafted productions.)

Ava Glass sets a remarkable pace from the start in this non-stop story of a day in London, with Emma working to avoid compromised CCTV cameras (and the Russian spies who are monitoring them) as she tries to get across the city to the headquarters of the covert agency that secretly employs her. She’s towing a reluctant traveler along with her: Michael Primalov, a doctor whom the enemy has already attempted to kidnap or kill. Michael needs to be in witness protection because of his mother’s past history as a Russian scientist who traded secrets. Emma uses all of her smarts, tradecraft, gadgets, and skills to outwit the villains at every turn. The duo hope to connect with Emma’s supervisor, Ripley, but when they don’t know who to trust, even communication via regular secret channels is fraught with danger. At moments, this wild tale might make the reader feel like the pair couldn’t possibly cope with one more setback as Emma and Michael avoid explosions, are chased by Russian assassins, and even take a detour into the famous tunnels of subterranean London. If the reader is willing to suspend their disbelief a little bit, a fun thrill ride full of bravery and energy also reveals something meaningful about the two people at the heart of the tale and the changing dynamic between them. Emma takes the lead, but Michael makes improvised use of his physician’s skills as well, and they grudgingly learn to trust one another – at least enough to get them through this arduous journey across the city.

The book cover depicts the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain in Piccadilly Circus, London, surmounted by a winged statue of Anteros and popularly known as Eros. There are silhouettes of people standing and moving around the fountain, dressed in 1940s-style clothing, and a hazy blue fog permeates the illustration.

If you like spy stories with women protagonists, I highly recommend the following novels:

Restless by William Boyd

Red Widow and Red London by Alma Katsu

Transcription by Kate Atkinson

Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson

And if you read Alias Emma and enjoy it, there’s great news: Ava Glass has already published a sequel, The Traitor, and there’s a third book (The Trap) coming in fall 2024. Sounds like a series that’s ripe for a film adaptation – perhaps Gary Oldman will be available to play Ripley!

Julie is an instructor and research specialist at HCLS Miller Branch who finds her work as co-editor of Chapter Chats very rewarding. She loves gardening, birds, crime fiction, all kinds of music, and the great outdoors.

A bold flower pattern in red, pink, and green along side a geometric pattern in the same colors sits behind the bold white type.

Maame by Jessica George

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A bold flower pattern in red, pink, and green along side a geometric pattern in the same colors sits behind the bold white type.

By Piyali C.

Maddie Wright is a 25-year-old British woman of Ghanaian descent who feels like her life is somewhat stagnant. She works as a personal assistant in a theater company where her boss suffers from depression. She is tired of being the only Black person at work and keeping a low profile so as not to attract attention. After exhausting days at work, she comes home to take care of her father, who suffers from advanced Parkinson’s disease. Maddie’s mother lives mostly in Ghana and her older brother James hardly chips in to help, leaving Maddie as the primary caregiver of her ailing father. When Maddie’s mother finally agrees to return home to London for a year to take over her husband’s care, Maddie jumps at the opportunity to move out and live life as an adult. She finds a flat to share, goes out for drinks after work with flatmates, tries to make her voice heard at work, and experiments with internet dating. However, when tragedy strikes, Maddie realizes that her family, rooted in Ghanaian traditions, is different and has its own unique needs and expectations. Maddie must come to terms with her identity as a Ghanaian British woman who struggles to straddle two cultures and make it work.

For me, the book was interesting for many reasons. First, it was amusing to read how Maddie, this young woman, navigates through some tough life questions by asking Google. Secondly, the significance of the book’s title made me think of my own Bengali culture and the practice of giving pet names (daak nam) to babies. Maddie is affectionately called Maame by her close family members, which means woman in Twi. And Maddie feels that she has had to be the caring, responsible, compliant, non-complaining person who took up the burden of her family’s responsibilities on her shoulders from childhood, because women are expected to do just that. At times, as a young adult left to care for her father or pay bills for family expenses, Maddie detested the name because it came with expectations. Gradually, with some help, she realizes not just responsibilities and expectations, but her name ‘woman’ is also emblematic of immense strength. Through self-introspection, help from her friends, and a candid conversation with her mother, Maddie comes to recognize the power of her name and understand the richness of her parents’ culture. And for the first time, she also understands that her mother is more than just her mother. She is a mother, a career woman, a wife, and most importantly a woman.  

In Bengali society, a common pet name for girl babies is different connotations of the Bengali word ma which means mother. Often, baby girls are named Mam, Mamon or Mamoni. This book made me wonder about the significance of those pet names and if there are expectations of motherhood associated with those names, but that debate is for another day. 

Maame, Jessica George’s debut novel, is a smart and funny exploration of the poignant themes of our times – relationships, loneliness, racism, adulthood, filial duty. I really enjoyed the growth in Maame’s character and found it to be a privilege to watch Maame figure out the significance of her name, grow comfortable in her skin, and ask for recognition in her work and society. 

Maame is available in print, e-book, and e-audiobook formats.

Piyali is an instructor and research specialist at HCLS Miller Branch, where she facilitates Light But Not Fluffy and co-facilitates Global Reads. She keeps the hope alive that someday she will reach the bottom of her to-read list.

The image is of two photographs of young Black men, one above the other. The one on top is looking directly at the camera while the one underneath is looking towards the ground. The title is in light blue across both photographs, with a background of pale red and orange.

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

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The image is of two photographs of young Black men, one above the other. The one on top is looking directly at the camera while the one underneath is looking towards the ground. The title is in light blue across both photographs, with a background of pale red and orange.

By Ash B.

Are you looking for a lyrical novel to savor slowly, perhaps while sipping tea (or your warm beverage of choice) on a quiet day? The type of novel that can break your heart and then put it back together, over and over again? 

Well then, reader, do I have the perfect suggestion for you. 

Open Water is the debut novel from Caleb Azumah Nelson, a 26-year-old British-Ghanaian writer and photographer living in south-east London, and wow, what a debut! Consider me truly impressed – in fact, if I had to recommend a single 2021 release for you to catch up on, it would be this one. (Yes, it is that good)!

A love story at its core, Open Water follows two young artists, one a photographer and the other a dancer, as they develop an intimate friendship that challenges the boundaries of platonic and romantic relationships. 

However, the connection between these two is complicated not only by the details of their initial meeting, but also by the realities of life as Black British young adults; experiences of falling in love are not mutually exclusive with experiences of racism. The desire and affection two people feel for each other can be healing, but it does not create an impermeable bubble from fear, pain, and violence. So, this is absolutely not “just” a love story. (Not that there’s anything wrong with those, either, but Open Water is a different vibe).

Nelson masterfully balances Black joy and creative expression – especially descriptions of music and the South East London cultural scene – with experiences of racial profiling and the policing of Black bodies. Life is so beautiful yet so painful, and Nelson captures this complexity with ease.  

He writes with insight into vulnerability and mental health in a style that is understated yet breathtakingly poignant. Also, the narrative is told in second-person, which might be off-putting to some readers, but I found it to be all the more engaging. You know that saying about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes? Nelson skillfully places the reader inside the inner world of his protagonist through this use of second-person perspective. It’s brilliant. 

Months have passed since I actually read this book, but I still can’t get over the flow of Nelson’s writing – it truly is like water, smooth at some times and turbulent at others. If you enjoyed On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong with its poetic vignettes, but would appreciate a more hopeful tone or different subject matter, you will love Open Water. 

And even if this doesn’t sound like what you would typically read, I would still recommend this book to just about anyone. I’m nearly begging for more people to read it at this point, if I’m being honest. I’m so desperate for this book to get the attention it deserves! 

At under 200 pages, the slim size of the book isn’t intimidating, and despite this short length, there is so much to get out of this book. You might even want to keep a camera (or, you know, your smartphone) close by in order to take photos of all the beautiful quotes you don’t want to forget. That’s certainly what I did, as well as repeatedly putting the book down throughout to marvel at what I had just read. I got chills. I felt literal aching in my heart. I was reminded what an utterly tender, yearning type of human I am. I loved, loved, loved this book. I hope you will too! 

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson can be requested here. It is included in both our regular Adult Fiction collection as well as our Equity Resource Center collection.

Ash is an Instructor & Research Specialist at Central Branch. This time of year, they are especially fond of reading while cuddling with their golden retriever and sipping hot cocoa or tea.

The book cover, in pastel shades of green, yellow, lavender, and pink, shows an older woman in a black cloche hat and yellow top in the upper right-hand corner, standing in front of an apartment building, and a younger woman in jeans and a flowing white top with a bag over her shoulder, walking a dog on a farm in the lower left-hand corner.

The Switch

elianahcls Leave a comment
The book cover, in pastel shades of green, yellow, lavender, and pink, shows an older woman in a black cloche hat and yellow top in the upper right-hand corner, standing in front of an apartment building, and a younger woman in jeans and a flowing white top with a bag over her shoulder, walking a dog on a farm in the lower left-hand corner.

By Eliana H.

This is the third year I’ve participated in The Ridiculous Reading Challenge, an activity co-organized by some good friends of mine in which they combine the annual reading challenges set by several publications into one spreadsheet full of categories to inspire participants to stretch our reading habits. For 2021, there are 117 different categories. Wish me luck in managing a unique book for each of them!

When one of the friends who runs the Ridiculous Reading Challenge mentioned enjoying The Switch, by Beth O’Leary, I was excited to note that it took place at least partly in Yorkshire. With family and friends living there, as well as it being a beautiful place, I knew it would be a perfect fit for the category of “a book set somewhere you’d like to visit in 2021.” Yorkshire is definitely the top of my list for where I want to visit when it’s safe for my family to do so. What I didn’t know when my friend shared the book was how much I would love the story.

The Switch tells the tale of two Eileen Cottons – a grandmother and her granddaughter, who goes by Leena – both feeling a bit stuck in their lives. They’ve struggled since the loss of Carla, Leena’s sister and Eileen’s other granddaughter. After a panic attack at work, Leena is given a mandatory two-month vacation from her job as a business consultant. At loose ends about what to do with that time when she should be finding her way back to herself, she ends up suggesting that she and her grandmother swap lives for two months. Eileen makes her way down to London for the adventure she didn’t get the chance to have in her youth, and Leena heads north to Yorkshire to slow down and take over the responsibilities Eileen has in her small village. Neither woman has quite the experience she expected, but both learn quite a lot about themselves and the people around them during their sojourns. With a cast of lively supporting characters, it is a joy to follow Eileen and Leena on their journeys. The book made me chuckle and choke up in turn, and I’m so glad to have read it. I hope you will be too.

The Switch is also available from HCLS as an eBook from Libby/OverDrive. Beth O’Leary is also the author of The Flatshare and The Road Trip (available from Libby/OverDrive as an eBook and eAudiobook).

Eliana is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Elkridge Branch. She loves reading, even if she’s slow at it, and especially enjoys helping people find books that make them light up. She also loves being outside and spending time with friends and family (when it’s safe).

A beige background with blood red off-kilter font that reads Midnight Riot with the author's name in black sans serif above it. A red splatter colors the top portion of a black line drawing of a map of London, and turns the Thames River red too.

Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

Kristen B. Leave a comment
A beige background with blood red off-kilter font that reads Midnight Riot with the author's name in black sans serif above it. A red splatter colors the top portion of a black line drawing of a map of London, and turns the Thames River red too.

Reviewed by Kristen B.

This fast paced police procedural, set in modern London, comes with a twist. Peter Grant’s only goal in life is to be promoted from probationary constable to detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. His plans seem to be thwarted at every turn, and he is sure he will be marking time in a records unit when he gets his first big break: an eyewitness to a murder. The big problem occurs when Peter realizes that said witness is a ghost. Grant then learns about an entire other kind of investigating as he becomes the apprentice to DCI Thomas Nightingale, who investigates uncanny and potentially magical crimes.

Midnight Riot takes you on a fantastic wild ride through London’s neighborhoods and immediate countryside, with Peter Grant as your point of view both to familiar London and to unfamiliar magic. I love Peter to pieces, with his modern take on life, an old-fashioned wish to serve, and perhaps even a mild case of ADD. I learned a bit of modern British slang (some of which I had to look up) and some ancient history about the geography of the River Thames.

If you love to watch Supernatural or enjoy any sort of magical realism, this is the first installment in an established series of books. If you happen to see it listed as Rivers of London, that’s how it was originally published in England. No matter how you find it, it’s a terrific, fun read. You can find it as an eAudiobook via RB Digital.

Books on Tap will be discussing Midnight Riot on Wednesday, June 3 at 6 pm via an online meeting. If you’d like to join us, please register and a WebEx invitation will be sent to you. Many other book discussion groups are also offering online discussions, please join one that suits your reading tastes and schedule!

Kristen B. has worked for HCLS for more than 15 years, and currently hosts Books on Tap discussion group at Hysteria Brewing Company. She loves reading, Orioles baseball, and baking.