Category: Meet Me at the Bookshelf

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

~ Sassy ~ 1 Comment

Hi everyone. Welcome back to Meet Me at the Bookshelf! *Sassy wavy paws!

Today I am reviewing a book called Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth.This book is a stunning mystery doused with a deeply twisted family tragedy. Brutal twists and turns galore keep the pages turning, which include a tiny, twice -rescued Chihuahua named Nugget.

The story centers on a woman, now called Elsie Fitzpatrick, living a quiet, nondescript life in a community neighborhood in Australia. Like most communities, this one has nosy neighbors, fantastic dogs, single moms, and kids that pester older adults.

The story’s star, 81-year-old Mabel, currently lives discreetly under a different name. She and her pal, Daphne, prefer quiet days and instead are being annoyed daily by both Nugget, a yappy Chihuahua owned by Ishaan, Mabel’s 93-year-old next-door neighbor and nemesis, and the seven-year-old kid across the street, Persephone.

Persephone, notebook ready, crossed the street one afternoon. She stated she needed to interview an elderly person for her school project. She approaches Elsie and announces that she feels Elsie is 167 years old so she has chosen Elsie for the interview. Daphne, Elsie’s friend, is thrilled that someone else will be interviewed.

As they try to conduct the interview, the dog next door, Nugget, is seriously carrying on and loudly yapping, and her owner, Ishaan, lo-and-behold does not come out to quiet her.

Persephone, still trying to finish her assignment, casually states she thinks Ishaan is dead. Elsie asks when anyone last saw him.

When no one can answer, the 81-year-old Elsie hops the wall, and after scraping her legs on the wall and hobbling into the house, she sadly finds him deceased in the home.

Nugget stops barking.

Mabel Waller, the youngest person ever convicted of murder in Australia, may have killed Ishaan, according to a neighbor, though the police refused to take Nugget.

The tale is off and running.

The book goes back and forth between the life of Mabel the child, who lost her baby sister to polio and whose mother walked off a balcony to her death, and Elsie the adult, who is lonely and misunderstood.

It is beautifully told.Her mother’s sister, Cess, took Mabel in and raised her in her mother’s mansion while her absent, wayward father gallivanted around. Mabel is not popular at school and is teased and bullied constantly.

A turn of phrase alerts her at school that it is in fact her dad that tells vicious stories to the neighbors about Mabel, calling her Mad Mabel, ruining her reputation, and making sure she has no playmates. Mabel feels devastated.I understood Nugget was sent to Mabel for a reason after Momma read me the sad parts of her past. I was pretty sure Mabel was a kind and honest person.

Mabel houses Nugget, given that shelters lack space and the dog trusts only her. The police interviewed Mabel twice and seemed afraid of her.

They took one of her shoes for DNA evidence. I informed Momma that they could take both. When I eat a shoe, Momma tosses out two shoes instead of giving me the second one. Nerve that!

The police imply Mabel killed Ishaan. The word is out and several picketers arrived in the neighborhood to hassle Mabel.The neighborhood is now bustling with activists, news vans, and criminals. Persephone’s apparent father suddenly attempts to mingle with them multiple times before he tries to get into his kid’s home.

Mabel, with Nugget supporting her, approaches the man for a conversation. She called the police to no avail.

Mabel tries to get the picketers to leave her alone and leave her community. No one will help. A pair of YouTubers contact Mabel and ask to do a documentary, finally giving her side of the story. With no other choice but to clear her neighborhood of the activists, she agreed.

Mabel then watches the child at her home while Persephone’s mother works at night.

The story moves back and forth between the past and the present. Gorgeous, lyrical, and moving.

Momma had leaky eyes, and I found a Crocs chew to munch while she read to me.

I give this book five paws up!

It will make you think about judging others, innocent victims, and crime. Read it for a great time.

We wuvu u and we will see you next time for Meet Me at the Bookshelf.

*Sassy wavy paws!

Betty and Rita Go To Paris by Judith E. Hughes

~ Sassy ~ Leave a comment

Wavy Paws. Today, I am reviewing a picture book travelogue for Meet Me At The Bookshelf called Betty and Rita Go to Paris with Text by Judith E. Hughes and Photographs by Michael Malyszko.

Ah, Paris. What could be better?

The French Crown Jewels, you say?

A little robbery at the Louvre, you say.

No, indeed. Just feast your eyes on the 84 pages of the City of Lights as seen by two adorable black labradors, Betty, age 11, and Rita, age 7.

Woof, what? You saw a picture of Betty and Rita lingering outside the Louvre?

*Cough* Well, page 26, right? They look thrilled there.

Um, no.

No one they know planned that heist. This is way before that event.

This 1999 book is a gorgeous photo journal instead; indeed, it’s a love note to dogs and travel.

I give it five paws way up.

Paris lends itself to great photography. These top dogs enliven Paris, featuring joyous photos alongside poetic writings within the pages. You will dream of big-city lights and your own furry friend.

Did you ever wish you could see Jim Morrison’s grave with your peeps?

Enjoy the Eiffel Tower all lit up at night?

Do you ever want to see the original Notre Dame Cathedral?

Sniff out a Hunchback or a baguette?

I do. I think books transport us into worlds we would love to explore. You may reside in Paris briefly, nods, if you suspend reality.

Sort of like you must suspend disbelief when the peeps tell you your dinner bowl is late, da nerve, because of a random “time change.”

As we move into fall and my favorite season, winter with all the snow, we like to look at this book to inspire my pup outings.

My momma reads this lovely book aloud to me and did it for all my sisfurs before me. In fact, my biggest sisfur, woo do not know her, she got to travel with my peeps to Paris, nod, nod. Her picture gives me joy, picturing them present in April, with budding trees, my dish full, on schedule, dear woman.

Oh, I digress. 

Betty and Rita pose at all the most important Parisian places.

My crucial locale, however, exists here, alongside Momma.

Betty and Rita, like all pups, pose while eating, romping, wrestling, and leaping about in fountains. They no doubt got treats for all the posing *looks longingly at my dinner bowl*.

I loved these two Labradors, and I know you will too.

Ooh look, dinner is here. Gotta run. See you next time when you Meet Me At The Bookshelf.

Wuv You.

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

~ Sassy ~ 1 Comment

Wavy paws. Today, we have a mystery thriller to review for Meet Me At the Bookshelf.

The author of The DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons, and Origin, Dan Brown, authored this 671-page novel called The Secret of Secrets.

Fifty millionty billion walkies could have occurred during Momma’s reading of this dud.

Nod, nod. Two stars, tops.

Prague is where the story unfolds. A gorgeous city that is up to date with top-notch science, surveillance, and technology. Robert Langdon, in his sixth installment of these books, has fallen in love with a talented noetic scientist named Katherine Solomon. She is attending the Charles University Lecture series to present her new and exciting theory and book on human consciousness.

Katherine dreamt of a woman, crowned radiantly like Liberty, who smelled of death, wielding a spear. Thereafter, Langdon senses the hotel’s impending explosion, triggers an alarm that clears it, and then jumps from the window into the water. Katherine is nowhere to be found. Langdon gets a note stating that Katherine is being held and to venture to an assigned location. He does, and trouble ensues.

Langdon found that someone tortured and killed Doctor Brigita Gessner, an eminent Czech neuroscientist, in her lab. She had invited Solomon to speak in the series. Local authorities appear complicit; the Golem, protector of Jewish lore, might be involved. Where, however, could Katherine be?

Dr. Gessner’s assistant, Sasha, tries to help Langdon find the killer. Sasha owns two Siamese cats, Harry and Sally, and she named them after the movie. She met the doctor there after being institutionalized for seizures.

I would chase these two cats.

Sasha has a pretty tame fling with embassy staffer Michael and tells Langdon they are in danger. The two cats often watch out the window, waiting for things to happen, much like Momma and me.

Sasha is soon missing as well.

Who is feeding Harry and Sally?

Will the police arrest Langdon and try to pin Dr. Gessner’s death on him?

Indeed, back at Katherine’s publishing house in America, someone has breached security and deleted Katherine Solomon’s new manuscript. The book publisher cannot reach her to raise any concerns. In fact, someone kidnapped her editor, took him for a joyride around town, and interrogated him to ensure no other copies of the manuscript existed.

The author based the editor on the real-life Dan Brown editor, and the editor should have spent his time editing the book instead of acting as a character within it. Nod, nod. From here, the editor could cut 350 pages.

The Golem is protecting someone in the book. He is a deadly protector. The two cats and I, I think, liked him.

I give the Golem five paws up, and this book only two paws.

I loved the symbolism and new theories in the book. Science is fun, and The Secret of Secrets blends current accepted ideas with new theory. The best parts were the Golem and various embassies and police chases. Very exciting. The book is heavy on the human consciousness theory and gets boring and long-winded.

Dan Brown tries to create a love affair, but it is bland and uninspiring.

Harry and Sally might’ve solved the mystery faster, with increased enjoyment, compared to Robert Langdon.

Where The DaVinci Code was epic, creating controversy and deep discussions for many years, this book falls short, even if better edited. No one will discuss this book in cafes worldwide.

The secret is to take a fun walkie with your dog or cat instead.

Wavy paws and next time being treats to Meet Me at the Bookshelf.

Kissy noses.

The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson

~ Sassy ~ 1 Comment

Hi! I’m Sassy, @3phibotticelli on Twitter/X. My momma reads about one hundred books a year *proud ears*. So today, I am gonna review one for woo that has a doggy, Craddock the bulldog, in it. Enjoy!

The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson

In this fast-action mystery novel, Craddock the bulldog keeps a watchful eye as a woman gets murdered, money gets stolen from the community center, a wedding progresses rapidly, and new romances begin.

Nova is a lovely young bride-to-be. She works at the local community center and hosts a sparsely attended book club.

She shares a scary past with her fiancé and beau, Craig, and someone blamed her for leaving the Center’s door unlocked when thieves stole the roof repair fund money, ten thousand pounds, and suspended her from work.

The St. Tredock Community Book Club members rally to clear Nova’s name. They gather for an emergency book club meeting and examine the facts.

Phyllis recounts the situation. Many suspects exist, but Michael, the newest book club attendee, is foremost among them. At a recent book club meeting, new member Michael had plenty to say about the mother leaving her child behind in the book, Where the Crawdads Sing. After several negative remarks about the fictional mother, Phyllis says, Michael got a text, leapt up, and ran out of the book club.

Arthur, whose wife has gone blind, so he reads to her daily, feels the mother is getting a bad rap in Crawdads, and usually waits for the others to weigh in. Arthur cannot believe Michael would take the roof fund money.

Ash, a young, timid book reader, listens to the group. He knows he can help flush out the criminal.

But Phyllis Hudson is in charge. She is Craddock the bulldog’s momma. She is fearless.

Phyllis is an outspoken book club member and mystery crime aficionado. She loves Agatha Christie; in fact, she fancies herself as a novice detective. Miss Maple is her hero, and though she will not admit it, she is definitely not a fan of Hercule Poirot.

Pointing to Michael’s actions that evening, she proclaims her intent to recover the funds, locate the culprit, and preserve Nova’s employment and the Community Center.

Phyllis finds Michael rude and insignificant. Craddock agrees and shows it by tooting and asking for more treats.

Phyllis and Craddock set out to scope Michael’s house.

When they arrive, the police are wheeling a body out of the house, which Phyllis presumes is Michael. Michael’s wife, Cynthia, allegedly shoved his mother down the stairs.

At the funeral, Phyllis hides in a closet when Cynthia and another man appear to be canoodling in the bedroom. Cynthia then tosses Phyllis out of the house.

Phyllis pledges to solve this cash grab-and-files, Miss Maple style. Phyllis goes with Nova, Craddock, and Arthur to Michael’s home to pay their respects.

Cynthia, not amused, tells them to leave.

Ash and Arthur discover that the man Cynthia was canoodling with is a PI. They make an appointment under false pretenses and head to his office.

Phyllis and Craddock attend a meditation class at the center to distract themselves while they meet the PI, but after frequent and hilarious flatulence by Caddock, the instructor asks them to leave.

Phyllis begrudgingly leaves the session and sees Cynthia charging into the Community Center to complain about Phyllis and her so-called foul-smelling bulldog, and the others turning up at her mother-in-law’s and stalking her.

Nova seethes at Phyllis when she arrives. She then learns that Craddock is very ill. Phyllis had tied Craddock to the fence so she could intrude and eavesdrop on Nova and Cynthia. According to Phyllis, when she returned to Craddock, the English bulldog was horribly ill and shaking and had to be rushed to the vet. Phyllis thinks someone poisoned him!

Phyllis learned that the police brought Nova in for questioning because someone attacked Nova’s boss, Sandy, at the community center. The police say that someone wearing a red coat similar to Nova’s fled the scene.

Ash reports he has broken into the PI’s files and that the missing Michael is indeed his client and has paid the PI for stalking photos of none other than Phyllis.

One thing is clear: the book group is being warned.

This book has everything: theft, murder, romance, weddings, book clubs, and a beloved adopted dog!

I give it five paws up! Try it and enjoy your fall days.

See you next time at Meet Me At the Bookshelf.

Sassy Kisses