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Mitford Murders Series

5/14/2023

 
By Carol Van Why, Library Co-Chair

I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy the Mitford Murders series by Jessica Fellowes after reading the first title in the series.   
 
Maybe it had something to do with the stark contrast between the lives of the leisured aristocracy of post-WWI England and the service class that supported them.
 
But I’ve always been interested in Great Britain between World War I and II, and there were just six titles in the series, one for each of the high-profile Mitford sisters.  Each of the books moved both stories forward through the years, weaving real life events with page-turning mysteries. 
 
If the series author, Jessica Fellowes, sounds familiar, it’s because Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes is her uncle.  A nice extra at the end of each book is a carefully selected reader’s guide to books written by the Mitford sisters and others.
 
The Coffman Library doesn’t own the Mitford Murders.  Look for them either in the Ramsey or St Paul Public Library collections.


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Review: "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman

5/1/2023

 
 By Barbara Woshinsky,  Library Committee, originally published in the May 2023 issue of the 1666 Coffman Newsletter

“Do you need a hand to get down into the grave?” “Yes, please. That would be terribly kind of you.”

These lines set the tone for The Thursday Murder Club, a fiendishly clever blend of cozy and thriller in the best British style. Our Library owns the first three volumes of this beguiling series. The novel takes place at the Coopers Chase Retirement Village, a luxury community located in the lovely Kent countryside. Its amenities ​include a swimming pool, an exercise studio, an upscale contemporary restaurant, and a herd of twenty llamas that “got out of hand.” In this idyllic setting, the Thursday Murder Club meets once a week in the puzzle room (between art history and conversational French), to investigate cold murder cases. Their activities soon turn up an extra skeleton in a grave, as well as two warm bodies belonging to the shady property developer and his assistant.
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The club includes a militant union leader, known in the old days as “Red Ron;” Ibrahim, a dapper Egyptian psychiatrist; Joyce, a nurse whose chattiness masks an innate shrewdness; and Elizabeth, a woman of mysterious background who clearly knows about bodies. This eclectic group combines its talents to aid—and sometimes
outsmart—the local police. Ingenious plot twists and red herrings keep the pages turning, but the book is also a sympathetic portrayal of elder life, with its Zumba classes, cataracts, Inspector Morse reruns, and visits from grandkids. The older characters are sometimes underestimated, but not for long. And Coopers Chase is more than just a setting: For Ibrahim, “It was so alive. So full of ridiculous committees and ridiculous politics, so full of arguments, of fun, of gossip. All the new
arrivals, each one subtly changing the dynamic. All the farewells too, reminding you that this was a place that could never stay the same. It was a community, and in Ibrahim’s opinion that was how people were designed to live.”

Sound familiar? Pick up this book, laugh, sympathize, and enjoy. As Joyce says, “a few glasses of wine and a mystery—very social, but also gory. It is good fun.”

Scratch That Travel Itch

4/9/2023

 
By Carol Van Why, Library Co-Chair

I just watched a 1986 film titled Mosquito Coast based on Paul Theroux’s 1981 novel of the same title.  Film reviews were mixed, but how can you pass up a film directed by Peter Weir, with a cast that includes Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren and Butterfly McQueen?
 
Coffman Library does not own the novel, Mosquito Coast.  However, Theroux is probably best known for his travel writing.  Not too many years ago he embarked on a series of four trips into America’s South.  He chronicled his meanders and observations in the book Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads.
 
Find Deep South and two other Theroux titles in the Coffman Library’s Travel Writings section on the upper level.  Check the St Paul and Ramsey County libraries for his books not owned by our library.
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There's Something New on the Shelves

4/2/2023

 
By Katie Weiblen, Library Committee, originally published in the April 2023 issue of the 1666 Coffman Newsletter

Our Library at Coffman is constantly evolving. New books are added every month.

The Library Committee (thirteen dedicated members) discusses both fiction and non-fiction titles at bi-monthly meetings. Each member selects one or two titles before each meeting and then presents a brief review of their choices. The opportunity to discuss books is an enjoyable part of Library Committee meetings.

A ranked list is prepared and sent to each committee member for their vote in order of their favored titles. Once the books are ordered and received, the next step is alerting residents of new titles through the “There’s Something New on the Shelves” email, which is sent each week to all residents who’ve subscribed. The new books are located on the “Recent and Relevant” shelves on the lower level of the library (second floor) to the left of the door.

If you do not receive the e-news, you may sign up for it here. You can also send an email asking to be included on the list to library@1666coffman.com. Library Committee members appreciate suggestions from Coffman residents.

Do not hesitate to contact: Veena Deo, Audrey Estebo, Margaret Green, Faye Herald, Scott Magnuson, Mary Scanlon, Eileen Smith, Victoria Tirrel, Carol Van Why, Helga Visscher, Katie Weiblen, Catherine Wengler, Barbara Woshinsky. 
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