A Sea of Troubles

Finished August 4

A Sea of Troubles by Donna Leon

This story takes place mostly in Pellestrina, with a helpful map at the front of the book giving the reader who is less familiar with Venice a sense of where it is in relation to the rest of the city. The community here is a close-knit one of clam fisherman, most of them having lived there for generations and when a boat explodes and two bodies are found on board, the police find it hard to learn anything about the men and the situation, beyond what they can see themselves. Inspector Brunetti is on the case and he, as he often does, asks the department secretary Signorina Elettra, what she can find out. 

She ends up going beyond her usual computer research and calling contacts and goes out to Pellestrina to visit a cousin, something she has done before, but this time putting herself in potential danger should anyone there connect her to the investigation. 

Brunetti finds himself worried about her in a more personal way than he is comfortable with and Paola, his wife, notice that as well. 

The bodies in the boat Squallus are a father and son, Guilio and Marco Bottin, Marco, and while Guilio seems to have an history of violence and disagreements, Marco is well liked. 

Because of the need to travel a distance by boat to the community, we see more of a boat pilot for the police, Montisi, and he plays an important role. Vianello is the detective assisting Brunetti and we also see him more fully in this story. 

This is a case that reaches into the past, but also is about families and small communities. 

Another important aspect of the story is the sea itself and how weather can change how it behaves so quickly and change outcomes. 

And, as always in Leon's books, there is food, both good and no so good. 

A great addition to the series. 

map provided

Hook, Line, and Sinker

Finis.hed April 14

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

This is the second in a series about two sisters. This features the younger sister Hannah. Hannah works as a production assistant in the movie industry. The sisters discovered fairly recently that their father had left them a bar in Westport, Washington, the small fishing town that he and their mother were from, and Piper, the older sister now lives there. Hannah spent a lot of time there helping Piper restore the bar, and making friends in the small community. 

When Sergei, the writer/director that she works for deems LA the wrong backdrop for his upcoming movie project, Hannah suggests Westport. Hannah planned to stay with Piper, but Piper's boyfriend's parents will be visiting, so she ends up staying in Fox Thornton's spare room. Fox and Hannah had spent some time together a few months back as friends, and had continued to text each other since then, joking, sharing challenges and successes, and music. Music is at the center of Hannah's life. She has always gravitated towards music to accompany her life, and has a music degree. She dreams of being a music coordinator for films someday. One of her habits is coming up with songs to fit every moment, and she has a vast repertoire of songs to pick from, including her own large vinyl collection.

Fox works as a deep sea fisherman, with a schedule of several days at sea, followed by a few days on land. His boss is looking to have him take over as captain on one of the boats he owns, but Fox is resistant. Since his early teens he has had a well-deserved reputation as a fun and promiscuous guy, seeing women without being in a relationship and living a life without responsibilities. His own father was that kind of man and everyone seemed to expect Fox to follow in his footsteps. 

Since he met Hannah, and kept contact with her, some of his thinking has changed, and he finds spending time in close proximity to her where they both face their fears and dreams means that he has to be truthful about what he really wants and how his reputation has hindered that dream. 

This is an engaging romance novel that digs deep into the inner lives of both characters, looking at what drives them, what barriers they've created to protect themselves, and how they can encourage each other to take risks to move forward with their lives. 

Some of the story is told through the texts exchanged between Hannah and Fox, particularly in the early part of the book, and this helps to develop the characters for the reader. 

I've read other Tessa Bailey novels and enjoy her writing. 

Dirty Work

Finished December 16

Dirty Work: My Gruelling, Glorious, Life-Changing Summer in the Wilderness by Anna Maxymiw

This memoir of a summer spent as a worker at a remote fishing resort in Northern Ontario is an reflective and open piece on a time that changed the author's perspective on herself and on how she moved forward. Anna grew up in the city, unlike most of the other members on the crew at the fishing lodge and she was working on her Master of Arts, while most of them were engaged in studies to do with the environment or tourism. She had come to the resort the year before as a guest with her family and really enjoyed her time there, so she had some idea of the environment she was entering into and the nature of the work. 

It was however a move outside her comfort zone, pushing her into the company of a group of other young people, none of whom she knew, in close quarters for several weeks. There is no place for privacy, no access to the internet, and little down time. If she wasn't working, she was resting from the very physical work she was doing, too tired to do much. She found herself forming the first real female friendships she had, and engaging with young men in ways she wasn't used to. 

She gained a nickname she didn't love, a realization that she was stronger than she had thought, and a better sense of who she was as a person. 

There were good times and bad ones, and things were tense at times, but her memoir makes it clear that this was an experience she was glad she'd undertaken. 

Chances Are

Finished March 25 

Chances Are by Kellie Coates Gilbert

This is a romance with a bit of drama, and the first in a series set in small town coastal Oregon. Allie Barrett is on her way to the small town of Pacific Bay as the book begins. She driven there from Texas with her ten-year-old son, Ryan. Allie has recently divorced from her son's father, Deacon Ray after she finally got tired of him cheating on her. When her mother's brother Tarver, who left Texas before she was born, leaves her his home and fishing boat in Oregon, she decides it is a good opportunity for a fresh start. It is unclear what Allie did for a living back in Texas, but here she plans to get the boat going again to run a fishing charter and whale watching business. This will take money, which is in short supply, and a time investment from Allie to learn the business from a hired captain and get the necessary licenses. 

Allie is made welcome in the town, but she finds a lot of work ahead of her. The house has been neglected and needs both cosmetic and maintenance repairs, and the boat has been sitting idle for a while so also needs some work. This is a story of hard work, but also a lot of luck as Allie meets people who help her (a lot) and even when faced with obstacles finds unexpected solutions arise for her. 

Ryan is a good kid, and her ex is aimless and unfaithful, with an eye to any opportunities that arise for him, but not a bad man in most ways. 

This was a pleasant read, with some interesting plotlines. 

The Tinsmith

Finished July 30
The Tinsmith by Tim Bowling

This novel begins in the US Civil War, around the Battle of Antietam. Anson Baird is a doctor working for the Union Army. With a seemingly endless supply of injured man, Anson moved from one operation to the next, amputating, digging out bullets and stitching closed wounds. He has little time for sleep, and next to no assistance. So when he first notices a tall man in a torn uniform helping bring injured men to the medical area, he does so only to notice that he keeps bringing men in, unlike most who disappear quickly. When the man proves even more helpful by serving as a surgical assistant, he is very thankful.
When a civilian is killed in a shocking manner, and the body goes missing soon after, he doesn't connect it with the man until later when men come searching for the body. Once he's made the connection, he works to protect the man and give him a new identity. The man, previously John, now taking the identity of a soldier named William Dare.
We see backwards into John's life as a house slave, looked after by a slave family, and caught as a pawn between a violent and vindictive overseer and the culture he was born into. The story moves back and forth between first the war and John's past, and then many years later, the Fraser river in B.S. and John's past, as William Dare tries to save his fledgling salmon business by asking for Baird's help once again.
This is a story of race, of culture, of reputation, and men whose greed is larger than their morals.
I enjoyed the character of John/William Dare, a man who doesn't really fit in wherever he goes, and of Anson, a man who wants to do the right and moral thing.

You're Not Lost If You Can Still See the Truck

Finished August 26
You're Not Lost If You Can Still See the Truck: The Further Adventures of America's Everyman Outdoorsman by Bill Heavey

This is a collection of articles from Field & Stream, freelance articles and other writings from award-winning journalist Bill Heavey. Covering hunting from deer to ducks, and ants to turkeys; fishing for a variety from bass to tarpon; the retail side of the outdoors business; and Heavey's personal life, this collection has pieces both hilarious and touching.
The book is organized into four sections by date: 1988-1999, 2000-2004, 2005-2009, and 2010-2014.
The writing is stellar, the situations relatable, and the personalities large.
I enjoyed this book immensely despite knowing little of the details around the equipment that he includes here. I read several bits out loud to family members as I chuckled, and noted lines of great truth.