My Favorite Books of 2021

Here are the five books I enjoyed most this year.

In alphabetical order, by author:

Tin Camp Road by Ellen Airgood

Airgood made life on Lake Superior come alive with her descriptions of single mother Laurel and her fellow residents of Gallion. 

Exit by Belinda Bauer

The question of what would you do if you assisted the wrong person in committing suicide is central to a dark, at times humorous crime story in Bauer's deft hands.

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

Three storylines set over the last hundred years or so about women's lives at an English country house made this a memorable read for me.

When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain

McLain's searing tale of a teenage girl's disappearance and the search to bring her home also explored questions of injustice and equality.

The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck

This novel about part of the life of World War II spy Virginia Hall was suspenseful and interesting.

The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly

It's 1957 and Lily Nicholls has agreed to become a debutante and be presented to Queen Elizabeth. Lily does this to please both her mother and grandmother. Lily herself would rather take exams and go to Cambridge or Oxford. Lily soon becomes disillusioned with the jealously and the old-worldliness of being a debutante, the year-long series of parties and other events also becomes tiresome. Lily, though, meets two suitors, along with a group of other debutantes that she bonds with. The Last Dance of the Debutante recounts Lily's journey of self-discovery and coming into her own.

Miss Eliza's English Kitchen: a Novel of Victorian Cookery and Friendship by Annabel Abbs

In her 30's and unmarried, Eliza Acton is focused on having another book of poetry published--but the publishing house wants her to write a cookbook instead. After a downturn in her family's finances, Eliza and her mother begin to run a boardinghouse in the town of Tonbridge, Kent. They hire a 17-year-old local girl named Ann Kirby to help in the kitchen. It turns out that Eliza and Ann make a great team, cooking and creating recipes together. Miss Eliza's English Kitchen recounts the lives and relationship of the two who wrote Modern Cookery, in All Its Branches that was published in 1845. An interesting look at Victorian cooking and women's lives at that time.

A Blizzard of Polar Bears by Alice Henderson

Wildlife biologist Alex Carter is thrilled with her new assignment: studying polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba. After a few successful days of gathering data, Alex's research and samples are stolen. Then, while off exploring one day, Alex finds a dead body. She wonders what's going on and wishes she could spend her time doing research that will hopefully help protect the polar bears, but it's soon clear that Alex has mistakenly gotten involved in something that threatens her life. A Blizzard of Polar Bears is the second book in the Alex Carter series and, in addition to the mystery, offers loads of interesting details about polar bears.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

The grown child of a single mother, Bill Furlong remains in the small Irish town he grew up in, now with his wife Eileen and five daughters. He makes a living delivering coal to local residents and businesses. As Christmas approaches in the year 1985, Bill witnesses something at the local convent that weighs on him. Bill wonders if he should stay silent like many others have or take action which could possibly upset the solid life he has built for himself. Small Things Like These is a short novel that stays with you long after the last page is turned.

1979 by Val McDermid

It's 1979 and Cambridge educated Allie Burns works as a reporter at the Daily Clarion in Glasgow. Allie is desperate to cover a real story rather than woman-focused ones her bosses have given her. When co-worker Danny Sullivan confides in Allie that he has a scoop about some international tax fraud going on and that he could use her help in writing the story, she's thrilled to be working on something of substance. She and Danny become friends and when she infiltrates a group who wants independence for Scotland, Danny returns the favor, aiding Allie by going undercover. 1979 is McDermid's first book in the Allie Burns series and subsequent books will feature Allie every ten years (1989, 1999 and 2019).

Nothing to Lose by J.A. Jance

Retired cop J.P. Beaumont still blames himself for his partner, Sue Danielson's death. When her son, Jared, asks for Beaumont's help in finding his younger brother, Christopher, who's missing, he readily agrees to go to Homer, Alaska where Christopher was last seen. After he arrives, Beaumont discovers that Christopher disappeared over ten years ago and that there's a good chance he is no longer alive. Nothing to Lose recounts Beaumont's investigation to bring closure to Jared and his family. It will be published in February.

South of Superior by Ellen Airgood

When Madeline is asked by Gladys, the girlfriend of her late grandfather Joe, to come to Mc-Allaster, a small town on Lake Superior, to help care for Gladys' sister, Arbutus, Madeline agrees. Madeline is charmed by Arbutus and yearns to know more about her family's history. Madeline was raised by her adopted mother, Emmy, in Chicago, when Joe refused to take care of her after Madeline was abandoned by her mother. Soon, Madeline is part of the community, learning about the family she never knew and having grand plans to reopen the old hotel that Gladys and Arbutus ran years ago. South of Superior is a novel full of characters with lots of heart and spunk in addition to vivid descriptions of small town life.

A Solitude of Wolverines by Alice Henderson

Wildlife biologist Alex Carter finds herself in a remote area of Montana doing a wolverine population study for a conservation group. The site is a defunct ski resort that's been turned into protected land, so Alex has a large area to conduct her research. However, some residents in the nearest town aren't very welcoming, and when Alex is run off the road, she's not sure who she can trust, since her complaints to the chief of police fall on deaf ears. Then she becomes even more concerned when she captures some weird activities on the cameras she's positioned throughout the area. Soon, Alex realizes that she's in more danger than she could possibly ever imagine. A Solitude of Wolverines is the first book in a series and has a great sense of place, in addition to an extremely likable and interesting main character.