The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey MYS Mas

In 1921 Perveen Mistry is the only female attorney in Bombay, India.  Well, not technically an attorney since females aren't allowed in the bar but she has graduated from law school in England and works in her father's law office reading contracts and wills and doing basic legal work.

When a client dies leaving three wives and children behind, Mistry Law is charged with executing his estate.  They receive a request from the widows asking that their marriage portion be given to a local charity, a definite change in the original terms.  Complicating this request is that the widows live in purdah or complete seclusion.  As the only person able to communicate with them, Perveen is delegated to visit them and explain what might happen.  Little does she expect that murder will result.

I have to admit that stories set in India don't generally appeal to me.  So I'm not sure exactly why I picked up this mystery.  But I'm glad I did.  It was an interesting look into Indian culture (and food!).  Perveen lives a fairly privileged life but she is aware of the misfortunes of those who don't live as she does.  Despite the limitations imposed on her by British and Indian society, she is determined to improve herself and to persevere until she is considered a "real" lawyer.

The first in a series, I'm looking forward to the next installment.

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Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan FIC Vau

Even though I can watch TV or read articles online about real-life scandals I still enjoyed reading a fictional account!  James has always been a golden boy.  He was born into a privileged family.  At an Oxford college he was good friends with a guy who would become the prime minister. When the story begins we are introduced to his wife, Sophie, and their kids.  In part due to his friend, James is working in the government and enjoying a successful career.  Everything is on the cusp of following apart because he has been accused of raping his assistant.  James has to tell Sophie before the news becomes public.  In shock Sophie nevertheless is certain that her husband is innocent and is determined to stand by her man.  Of course that isn't easy.  It is even harder when she finds out that he had been having an affair with the woman!

The lawyer who is prosecuting the case is named Kate.  Her life has revolved around her job and she is going to do her best to put James away because she believes he is guilty.  Throughout the story of the trial are flashbacks to the lives of James, Sophie and Kate which explains a lot.  A good read!

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The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn FIC Fin

It’s a great book.  Read it!  I could finish with that statement but I’ll tell you a bit about it anyway. It’s the story of Anna Fox who lives alone in a very small world.  She suffers from severe agoraphobia which prevents her from leaving her home.  Her groceries (and more importantly to her, the cases of wine) are delivered to her door.  She was once a professional but now she spends most of her time watching old movies.  Her other ‘hobby’ is using her camera to watch her neighbors.  Their patterns of daily life are as familiar to her as her own.

The newest family to move onto her block is the Russell family - mom, dad, and a teen-aged son.  If you watch a family long enough you might see something you wish you hadn’t!  An entertaining read!

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Bringing Columbia Home by Michael Leinbach and Jonathan Ward 363.124 Lei

I like reading non-fiction and have read many books about historical moments of tragedy.  For me, however, this one is a bit different because it just happened 15 years ago and I remember when it happened.  I think that is why it was a more emotional read than others have been.  I am so old that I remember when we started exploring space.  I was in 7th grade and I was not all that excited about it. I was of course aware of the program as it expanded and I was certainly glued to the TV as man walked on the moon.  The shuttle program was impressive but it became a usual event.  But then the Challenger exploded - I remember that day so well.

Michael Leinbach was the launch director of the space shuttle program.  When the Columbia was lost he was impacted on many levels.  You can really feel the emotional distress in this book. The desperate search to find remains of all the crew members was done by many volunteers and also by friends and colleagues of those lost.  The physical challenges to bring home those remains and as much of the Columbia as they could were brutal.  The terrain was so rough that one man said his clothes would barely last for two days before they had to be replaced.

This was a touching and important book.

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