Erik D’Souza’s — Death in Halfmoon Bay *****

Suzanne and her husband Charles, live in a retirement village in idyllic Halfmoon Bay on the British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. But all is not what it seems. Regina is vying for the strata president position yet again with the only rival, Adeline. But when Adeline is poisoned from jam Suzanne had made, Suzanne becomes the prime suspect. It is rumoured that Charles had an affair with Adeline, but did he? Suzanne suspects Regina is behind the rumour and the poisoning with a double motive — first to discredit Suzanne who has long been her rival, and secondly, so she can become strata president once again. But is Suzanne right, and is she the innocent party? She is out to find answers, but when she does, there’ll be more than one murder she’s accused of committing.

Rachel Joyce’s — Miss Benson’s beetle *****

Frumpy Margery Benson is a middle-aged English spinster who works as a home science teacher. Her three older brothers are killed in WW11. Her parents die. And her remaining two aunts die. Her life is lonely and boring, until she discovers a note with a comical caricature of herself being passed around her sniggering classroom. She storms out of the school stealing the head mistress’s boots, and is determined to leave England still suffering from rationing after the war. Margery decides to chase the dream she abandoned after her father’s suicide, and discover the golden beetle of New Caledonia .

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Sophie Perinot’s — Medicis daughter *****

This novel has an average rating from my local library readers, but I found it a fascinating insight into the Valois dynasty seen through the eyes of Marguerite de Valois during the 16th century. Although King Charles heads the French dynasty, his mother, Catherine de Medicis, is the one who makes all the political decisions. Her schemes to maintain and increase her family’s rule include marrying her off to any man if it will increase the family’s power. The Queen’s desire to maintain a stronghold on its kingdom culminates in the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre when thousands of Huguenot are slaughtered.

Will Margurerite realize what kind of a person her mother really is, and overcome her desire to please her?

Sadie Jones’s — The outcast *****

In 1950s England, Lewis’s mother drinks a bottle of wine, and drowns while out on a picnic with her son. Because of his failure to save his mother, Lewis’s response to his guilt becomes unruly and he lands in jail. On his release, he discovers the past is ever present within both his remaining family and his village community that no longer trust him.