"In the beginning there was the word. Toni Morrison took the word and turned it into a song...of Solomon, of Sula, Beloved, Mercy, Paradise, Love, and more. She was our conscience, our seer, our truth-teller"—Oprah after Toni Morrison’s death

It makes me sad, Toni being gone. Who is going to turn words into unforgettable songs? One of the greatest writers of our day has “surrendered to the air and is riding it.”  Maybe it’s time to re-visit Morrison’s pages—to soak up her insights and remind myself that, as humans, we face problems. We all experience heartbreaking dilemmas that have the potential to give us new eyes.

 Speaking of heartbreak and dilemmas, Leonora Shaw faces more than her fair share of both in the psychological thriller In a Dark, Dark Wood. I chose this read because Ware’s name keeps popping up. I, myself, have been in the dark about Ware, the British best seller who admits that the most interesting thing about her is her books, “which are full of murder, family secrets, toxic friendships, and things that go bump in the night.” In a Dark, Dark Wood had all of the above—it did not disappoint. Nora is crime writer who isolates herself after a good love gone bad. When she hesitantly reunites with some old friends for a pre-wedding weekend celebration (called a Hen by Englanders…love them), things go scary sideways in a hurry. It’s been a while since I’ve felt real suspense like Ware inspired here. I figured out whodunit before the reveal. But I didn’t mind. Where Toni turned words into songs, Ware turns them into fear. I’m glad both authors are in the foreseeable future for me!

Posted by Tracy