Quick Guest Review: The English Girl by Daniel Silva

The English Girl by Daniel Silva (Gabriel Allon Series #13)

Reviewed by Shirley Ayres

While vacationing with friends in Corsica, Madeline Hart is kidnapped.  When it becomes known that she was the current English Prime Minister’s mistress, Gabriel Allon is called in to help find her.  The story starts in Corsica, goes back to England and then to Israel.  A dangerous trip to Russia takes Gabriel and his team close to death again.  Good story.  As usual, lots of action.

"Room: A Novel" by Emma Donoghue

New books are being churned out an an amazing rate every day so it's easy to miss a real gem if you don't keep a list of To-Reads. Room by Emma Donoghue was published in 2010, but it wasn't until last week that I sat down with the NY Times bestselling novel at the insistence of several library regulars. Immediately I was hooked. Donoghue tells the story of five-year-old  Jack and his Ma who has been held hostage in a shed for nearly a decade by the sadistic, sometimes violent, man that Jack refers to as Old Nick. The book is written from the perspective of Jack and begins just before his mother reveals to him the tragic reality of their situation. It becomes clear that as Jack continues to develop both physically and mentally, Room will not be sufficient to meet his or his Ma's needs.

The premise of the book is borrowed from real events. This knowledge alone will make this a novel that haunts you for days afterwards.