Mary E. Trimble

Desert Wives (Poisoned Pen Press) by Betty Webb is a mystery with an eye-popping expos of modern-day polygamy.

Private Detective Lena Jones is approached by Esther Corbett to rescue her 13-year old daughter, Rebecca, from Purity, a small village cult that straddles the Arizona-Utah boarder. The daughter has been promised in marriage by her non-custodial father to Prophet Soloman Royal, a leader of a polygamist sect. Prophet Soloman, an older man, already has multiple wives and dozens of children.

The rescue is perfectly executed, but on the way out of the area, Lena and the girl Rebecca stumble upon Prophet Soloman’s body. Lena’s client, the girl’s mother, is the only suspect and is jailed with the likelihood of prosecution.

Lena goes underground, pretending to be the second wife of a disgruntled cult-member, a man she meets on the “outside” who goes along with her scheme.

Along the way to solving the case, Webb does a masterful job of exposing what is still practiced in various communities in the Western United States, even though polygamy was banned in the United States in 1862. Some sects that practice do so by having a man marry one wife, divorcing her (though she retains his name and continues to live with him) and then marrying the next wife who also takes his name. This is repeated until he has married and divorced all his wives, except possibly the last one. Since only one wife is officially married to the husband at any one time, the polygamous family appears to exist within the law.

One of the common manifestations of this arrangement is that the now single wives can claim public support as single parents. Cults are encouraged to have many children and a man may have dozens of children, all supported by the state.

Another polygamist practice commonly used is for a man to seek only one marriage license for the first marriage, and the subsequent marriages are secretly carried out in private ceremonies. Thus, the subsequent wives are seen by law as single parents.

Young men are often forced to leave their community so that women they would otherwise marry will be left to provide wives for older polygamous males, thus increasing the community income. Within many cults, young girls, often younger than the legal age of consent, are subjected to arranged marriages. Since marriages often take place within their own communities, it is not uncommon for fairly close relatives to marry, leading to inbreeding and subsequent birth defects.

In this review, I have presented the polygamist practices as presented by Desert Wives. I conducted additional research to determine the accuracy of the author’s premise for this novel and found the facts well supported. NOTE: My research also revealed that there are other polygamists who don’t live in cults and who are not organized to profit by collecting welfare.

Desert Wives is the second of the Lena Jones Mystery Series. Webb does a good job of creating suspense, using humor along the way. But for me, the value of this book is the exposure of what today is still happening in the Western United States. Desert Wives is a worthwhile, educational, yet enjoyable read. For more information about the author, visit www.bettywebb-mystery.com

Book Review: The Soloist

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Mary

The Soloist (Berkley Books) by Steve Lopez takes readers on an extraordinary journey into the world of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, a black musician and paranoid schizophrenic.

The amazing story written by a Los Angeles Times journalist, begins with a chance encounter by Lopez as he hears violin music while walking along the street. He looks around to investigate. On a corner, he finds a man in his fifties, dressed in rags, exquisitely playing Beethoven on a battered violin with some missing strings.They strike up a conversation.

In the encounter, Lopez sees the possibility of a column, but as he investigates further, he uncovers a man of immense complexity and talent, and unfortunately, a consuming mental illness that has taken him from a promising young musician at Juilliard to the depths of life as a street person in the harrowing ghettoes of Los Angeles.

Lopez recognizes the gift of Ayers’ brilliance and is obsessed with trying to help him, only to be rebuffed at every turn. Ayers trusts no one, convinced that people will steal belongings from his shopping cart. The journalist writes about the street musician and spurs interest among his readership. In his attempts to help Ayers, Lopez explores the possibility of finding suitable housing. He tracks down Ayers’ family, seeks professional mental help, even goes to Juilliard in New York to try to find the missing pieces that might help Ayers put his life back together. Lopez’ efforts result in the musician’s angry outbursts, disinterest and crushing disappointments. Lopez doesn’t give up and seeks common ground for his down-and-out friend with professional symphonic musicians, arranging to watch performances, meeting the musicians in person, even setting up appointments for him to play for a member of the philharmonic orchestra.

Although Lopez knows he is straining his own family and professional life of time and considerable funds, he doggedly attempts to find a better life for Ayers. On the way, Lopez learns about the power of classical music, the crippling affects of schizophrenia, and is able to see with more clarity why people end up living on the street.

The Soloist is written with compassion, heart and humanity. It’s a heartbreaking read, yet it leaves room for hope. I’ll never again look at street people without remembering this poignant story.

Book Review: One Island, One Ocean

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Mary

Alarmed by the condition of the world’s oceans, Captain Mark Schrader and a group of friends set upon an idea to organize an extended educational voyage to “raise awareness in meaningful ways and change behavior.” Schrader, a veteran solo ocean circumnavigator, began the intricate process of making the challenging voyage a reality. One Island, One Ocean by Herb McCormick chronicles and illustrates the epic journey of the first-ever continuous circumnavigation by sail of the American continents.

Outfitting the steel cutter Ocean Watch involved more than just preparing the vessel for the rigors of sailing 25,000 nautical miles through rough seas over a 13-month period. It also entailed installing analytical equipment, computers and the myriad equipment to meet the needs of the various disciplines to observe, record and report findings.

The core crew of four were joined by educators, scientists, an oceanographer, a photographer and other guests who supported and added talent to the voyage. Critical roles were also played by various partners, contributors, educators, scientists and other practical shore support.

The book’s photography is impressive with exquisite details of the journey, starting in Seattle, circling the Americas, and back to Seattle. The documentary is written in four parts: “North to the Ice,” the ship sails north from Seattle to Newfoundland via the Arctic Circle and Northwest Passage. Next, the “The Long Slog South,” the ship crosses the equator sailing from the Canadian Maritimes to the Falkland Islands. The third part, “Cape Horn to Starboard,,” celebrates the triumphant rounding of the Horn and a sobering passage through Patagonia. Finally, “Closing the Circle,” a Pacific passage where they encounter El Nino, the Baja Bash where they endure extremely rough weather, the Golden Gate and finally, home to Seattle.

Their findings? Fisheries are being shamefully depleted. Coral reefs are being diminished. Plastic and chemical pollutants are clogging and poisoning life-giving oceans. Ocean acidification is jeopardizing all sea life. The remedy? R. Bryce Seidl, Pacific Science Center President and CEO, who wrote the Preface for One Island, One Ocean says, “The degradation of the oceans is the result of billions of us doing small, largely inadvertent things that in their totality are hugely damaging.” Conversely, billions of us making small changes in our lives can result in positive influences on our oceans.

One Island, One Ocean documents the importance of ocean conservation. Captain Schrader also lectures and presents a slide show, which we were fortunate to attend. Both the lecture and the book leave lasting impressions. Our oceans are changing for the worse which will eventually affect human life on the planet. The decline, both chemical and physical, are visible and measurable in virtually all of the world’s oceans. It is clear: We must take steps to reverse this environmental damage.

Book Review: The Boarding House

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Mary

Marcia Melton’s The Boarding House (Raven Publishing) brings the early 1900’s to life. Although listed as a Young Adult novel, adults will also love this slice of Montana history.

When eleven year-old Emmie Hynes’ father dies in a mining accident, her world changes forever. In those days, mining companies didn’t take financial responsibility for families of injured or killed miners. The small family–her twelve year-old brother Conrad, her mother and Emmie–move from Butte to a small town across the mountains to Philipsburg, Montana to run a boarding house.

The family scrapes by. Conrad’s slacking off of chores comes to an abrupt halt when his scheme to earn money backfires. Both children support their widowed mother, still fragile from their father’s death. In addition to running the boarding house, Emmie’s mother works with mine officials for financial benefits for families of miners. In addition, Emmie’s mother also supports the growing suffrage movement and takes her children to rallies.

When the owner of the boarding house dies, it looks as though the little family will lose their new-found security. Although the children try to be helpful, there is no way they can close the looming financial gap that faces them. How will this family survive?

The author’s library and teaching experience serve her well. The Boarding House
is written with knowledge of the life and times of the era. The novel is a fun read, yet readers are reminded of many things we now take for granted, such as workers’ compensation and women’s right to vote. This excellent story was inspired by the experiences of the author’s mother and uncle. I recommend this novel for all ages.

Book Review: Crossed Trails

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Mary

Crossed Trails (Whiskey Creek Press) by Eunice Boeve is a fast-paced, skillfully crafted and exciting western.

After trailing a herd of longhorns from Texas to Montana, Joshua Ryder is determined to settle near the Pacific Ocean, a place where no one would know his father was a violent outlaw and his mother a prostitute.

In the spring of 1877, Josh begins his journey west when he encounters a Nez Perce woman and her newborn baby. The woman is unresponsive and unable to care for her new-born on her own. He feels obligated to do what he can and takes them to Virginia City, Montana. Knowing the town will not welcome an Indian woman, he finds a home for them with an old washerwoman, Jesse, who has met with an accident and is unable to work. In order to pay the woman for board, Josh takes on whatever work he can find. Their lives are further complicated when a little Chinese girl joins the make-shift family.

As their lives become entwined, Josh’s intentions to move on become more distant. With all these complications, he can’t in good conscience leave. Adding to their hardships, the old woman becomes ill and Josh must hire someone to take care of her, the Nez Perce woman and her child, plus the little Chinese girl.

As much as he tries to avoid admitting it, Josh is smitten with Jolene, the young woman he hires to help. But a relationship is impossible. He won’t subject her to someone with his past. In any event, if she knew about his parents, she wouldn’t want anything to do with him.

Along comes Eli, the old woman’s worthless grandson, and their world turns from troubled to dangerous. Josh is framed for a murder. He could run from the law, probably successfully. Or he could stay and face his accusers. But can he hide from his past? In either case, he’s bound to lose those he’s come to love.

Crossed Trails is a sequel to Ride a Shadowed Trail, though each book stands alone. Boeve provides the reader with enough of the first story’s details to enhance the threads of the second. Boeve is a gifted storyteller and knowledgeable about the times and mannerisms of the era.

To learn more about the author, visit www.euniceboeve.net

Book Review: Broken for You

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Mary

Broken for You (Grove Press) by Stephanie Kallos is a beautifully crafted debut novel, a story of repair, healing and redemption

Elderly Margaret Hughes lives alone in the Seattle mansion where she spent her childhood, surrounded by valuable antiques her father collected. She can identify each object and spends her days alone, caring for her house and its precious contents.

Wanda Schultz, although able to capably function professionally, is nursing a broken heart. Her only goal in life is to find her boyfriend who has left her to “find himself.” Abandoned as a child and now as an adult, she clings to the idea of what never seems possible to her, a solid relationship.

Margaret learns she has a terminal illness and forms a plan to take in a boarder. Wanda, who, after her boyfriend left, is living at the YWCA, takes up residence with Margaret. Although their relationship is formal at first, they soon form a bond.

The population in the mansion increases as one person after another finds their way to Margaret’s home, each contributing a vital role. Although on some level Margaret knows where many of her antiques came from, she is suddenly faced with the horror and guilt that they had once been possessions of European Jews and confiscated by Nazis. The household bonds in their determination to do the right thing by these stolen treasures.

This novel is many things, but primary are the importance of family and the power of forgiveness. The many irresistible characters Kallos has woven into this memorable tale all have a story, but eventually their paths lead to the same destination.

Raised in Seattle, I loved the setting and could picture the author’s vivid sense of place. Kallos furnishes just the right amount of detail, so that readers not familiar with Seattle will have an understanding of the area.

Broken for You is a moving, endearing story of survival and triumph.

Book Review: Stone Heart’s Woman

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Mary

Stone Heart’s Woman (Wild Rose Press Publication) by Velda Brotherton is a finely crafted historical romance. Brotherton’s vivid descriptions quickly bring the reader into the thick of the story, whether it’s a passionate love scene, or a stark, frozen landscape.

Seriously injured in battle, Stone Heart, the son of a Cheyenne woman and George Armstrong Custer, painfully makes his way to what appears to be an abandoned sod house.

Aiden Conner, deserted by her financ , is run out of town in the dead of winter as a “loose woman.” After walking a distance and nearly freezing, she seeks shelter in a run-down soddy. To survive she must build a fire in the pot-belly stove and goes out to collect wood. When she returns, she finds a fierce blonde-haired Indian.

At first, Stone Heart speaks only his native tongue, having made a vow that he would never again speak the language of his father. It becomes clear that in order to survive, Stone Heart must accept the help of Aiden to treat his wounds. Likewise, Aiden needs his help to survive the wilderness.

Stone Heart is filled with hate for his father who betrayed the Cheyenne. His people have been forced from their land, starved and slaughtered. He lived with his mother until he was twelve, then sent away to be educated in white schools, passing as a white boy. He knows both worlds and has returned to live the life of a Cheyenne to do what he can for his people.

Aiden wants only to return to the safety of her family in the East. But once Stone Heart speaks English and they converse, they find a passionate attraction. But it appears to be a hopeless love–they have opposite goals and neither wants to interfere with the other’s plans.

A gifted story teller, Brotherton weaves an unforgettable tale. Stone Heart’s Woman passionately describes the plight of the Indian and the ensuing terror on the frontier.

To learn more about the author, visit www.VeldaBrotherton.com

Book Review: The Proof is in the Poodle

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Mary

The Proof is in the Poodle: One Veterinarian’s Exploration into Healing by Donna Kelleher, DVM, gives readers a chance to explore alternatives to traditional treatment for ailing dogs, cats and horses. Kelleher seeks to treat the whole animal, the physical, emotional and spiritual facets of their lives.

In her youth, Kelleher works on Saturdays with Iris, a neighborhood healer. Gardening with Iris, Kelleher learns the healing qualities of plants, how to preserve them, how to prepare them to make teas or salves. From Iris, she also learns that public opinion isn’t as important as following your heart.

While attending Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Kelleher becomes aware of certain practices that are contrary to what she believes would be better, more effective healing treatments. She finds the common practice of dispensing chemicals repugnant, of euthanasia as being a choice too easily taken.

Kelleher becomes further trained in veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic medicine and becomes a member of the Veterinarian Botanical Medical Association. Using these skills along with those she learned from Iris, her childhood mentor, she finds ways to holistically treat animals without pharmaceutical intervention.

Not everyone will agree with Dr. Kelleher’s views. Eking out another week of an old dog’s life may be difficult for many to grasp. But to cure a disease with herbs rather than with chemicals that often introduce harmful side-effects, may make sense to many.

The Proof is in the Poodle: One Veterinarian’s Exploration into Healing offers well-founded viewpoints on healing. Whether or not you’d want to take this path, the small volume offers enlightened opinions on healing and treating the whole animal. The book is written with humor and heart.

To learn more about Donna Kelleher, DVM, visit www.wholepetvet.com

Book Review: The Egg Rocker

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Mary

The Egg Rocker by Jack Gunter takes you from tranquil Camano Island, WA to the jungles of South America, with hair-raising stops in between. The fast-paced novel is the second in the Wally Winchester Adventure series.

Wally Winchester makes a winning on-line bid on an antique chair, an egg rocker and he naively plans to go to South America to pick it up. As it happens, his live-in partner, Rae Roberts, a professional photographer, has a photo shoot assignment from National Geographic in Chile, so they travel together. Wally leaves Rae in Chile and drives a rented truck to collect his treasured chair from South America. The chase is on.

Wally picks up the chair, but then is drawn to other antiques, European artifacts stored in old barns or run-down shops in unsavory parts of various towns. Later, Wally is joined by an old friend, a recently retired Russian who worked for a United Nations agency recovering stolen national properties. Together Wally and Yvgeney scour shops in the South American countryside, seeking antiques. Along the way, Yvgeney’s investigative background begins to surface, revealing alarming facts.

The story maintains high-pitched excitement as the two antique dealers weave themselves into a web of underground intrigue. When they finally return to Camano Island, their troubles aren’t far behind.

The author, a well-known northwest artist, is also an antique collector, so speaks with authority on the subject. His sense of humor, together with his knowledge of antiques make for a fascinating read. The three book series, Original Finish, The Egg Rocker, and Mother of God, all deal with mystery and intrigue. They’re meaty, complex mysteries that provide scary moments with plenty of laughter thrown in.

To learn more about the author, visit www.JackGunterArt.com.

Book Review: The Inheritors

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Mary

The Inheritors, a novel by Judith Kirscht’s (New Libri Press), offers thought-provoking views of challenges and conflicts between nationality, class and race.

Alicia Barron attends the funeral of her dearest girlhood friend, the friend’s husband and their child who were killed in an automobile accident. Although once as close as kin, she finds herself an outsider now, not only to this family, but even to her own mother. This animosity dates back to Alicia’s college years when she participated in the violent Vietnam War demonstrations.

Raised Latino, Alicia never knew her Chilean father who was killed in Korea before she was born. With her dark hair and eyes, she never suspected she was anything but Latino. Even when asked, her mother didn’t share information about her own background, but simply lived in the moment. Alicia and her mother were a pair without history, without relatives, but still, her mother insisted, were a family.

After a long absence, Alicia has returned to the working-class Chicago community where she was raised and she teaches at the same elementary school she attended. Alicia and fellow teacher Ricardo Moreno are in love and share many of the same interests.

Alicia inherits an old, run-down mansion, an estate left by a Chicago industrialist whom she eventually discovers was her grandfather, her mother’s father. She learns that her mother was the daughter of an Italian woman and a white father. Delving into her past, she discovers a line of women who fought and overcame the battles of nationality, class and race.

When she shares her discovery with Ricardo, he is upset and wants her to reject her gringo roots. Their love is threatened and Alicia must decide what path she will take. Should she investigate further and work with her new status? Or, should she follow Ricardo’s desire and pretend she never made the discovery?

The Inheritors is a well-researched book, written about bias, though without bias. It was an eye-opener to me to learn views of some Latinos who live in a diverse, industrial city like Chicago, at least how it was in the 1960’s and 1980’s. Kirscht handles flashbacks smoothly, giving plausible reasons for misunderstandings and conflicts. This is an important novel that reveals views from a fresh perspective.

The Inheritors is currently available as an ebook and is scheduled to be published in print in the fall. To learn more about the author, visit www.JudithKirscht.com.