The Pilot's Wife

The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve has been out for quite a few years, but I just read it this summer. My soon to be mother-in-law let me borrow it after she and my father-in-law both read it and couldn't put it down. (so this books appeals to both females AND males!) Even thinking about it now, months later, I can still remember the suspense and driving sense of curiosity I felt throughout the whole book.

Kathryn is the wife of pilot Jack Lyons. After being married for 16 years, their relationship has had its ups and downs, but has been manifested in the form of their fifteen year old daughter, Mattie. When Jack is tragically killed in a flight that he was manning, and the black box reports that it was the fault of the pilot, Kathryn starts down a path from which there is no turning. She begins to uncover the truth behind her husband's death and more importantly, his entire adult life.

Shreve's writing is quick and deep, never leaving you wanting for descriptions or plot. As a reader, I often delve too deeply into books and find myself intertwined with the fictional characters. This makes the pain felt by the characters something tangible, and the situations something to struggle with mentally. I couldn't help wondering what I would have done in Kathryn's situation. Would I have handled the news with such grace? Would I have been able to move on from such deception?

Not unlike Jodi Picoult's works, this book will stay with you from start to finish and afterwards. Enjoy!

Mosley, Walter. Little Scarlet.

Title: Little Scarlet
Author: Mosley, Walter
Publication Date: 2004
Number of Pages: 320
Genre: Mystery
Geographical Setting: Los Angeles, CA
Time Period: 1965
Series: Easy Rawlins mysteries, 8

Plot Summary: Just after the L.A. riots in 1965, African American detective Easy Rawlins is sought out by the L.A.P.D. to help them solve the mystery of the murder of a young girl. The girl that was murdered was African American, and she was murdered after helping a white man escape from the riots. Rawlins is asked to discover who the white man was that entered the building where Little Scarlet was murdered and whether he is responsible for her death. Along the way, Easy deals with issues in his own life (both in his love life and with the children that he has more-or-less adopted) and uncertainty about helping white men with the task at hand. The book highlights the state of racial tension during the 1960’s, while giving readers an honest look into life in the L.A. ghetto. Strong language is scattered throughout, as are several sexual themes.

Similar Authors and Works (Fiction): Revoyer, Nina – Southland (1965 Watts riot, L.A. setting, family secrets); Nelscott, Kris – War at Home (African-American private investigator, race relations during the 60’s); McCullough, Colleen – On, Off (serial murderer with female victims, 1960s setting).

Similar Authors and Works (Nonfiction): Penrice, Ronda Racha – African American History for Dummies (History, Biography, and Politics) (a starting place for those needing a place to start learning about the African American story); Soitos, Stephen F. – The Blues Detective: A Study of African American Detective Fiction (a look into African American detective authors); Raybon, Patricia – My First White Friend (an African American woman’s journey from rage to forgiveness and friendship).