A Bookseller in Madrid by Mario Escobar - A Book Review

  

While the prologue and epilogue are set in the 2020s, the story of A Bookseller in Madrid is set from 1933 to 1946, including the Spanish Revolution of 1934, the Spanish Civil War, the Spanish Republican Insurgency, and the impact Germany had on the Spanish political scene. Mario Escobar uses his fiction set during some of history's most difficult and cruel times to examine and learn from those who perpetuated the horrors and those who survived them, building empathy for the latter. Based on the lives of two real booksellers of the times, Escobar's fictional bookseller, Barbara Spiel faces adversity with bravery, using books and her bookstore to provide a safe haven for souls and minds amongst the deprivation, chaos, and inhumanity, even while striving to keep her own family together. Escobar brings commonalities to the surface between social concerns of current times and those of the past as his characters seek stability and hope.

While creating a story that evokes compassion and empathy, Escobar also emphasizes the importance of books in reminding society of what it means to embrace humanity as well as the importance of the Christian church in truly embracing and demonstrating sacrificial love. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Bookseller in Madrid from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham - A Book Review

  

While Hurricane Helene may have pushed back the deadline of The Highland Heist, it was well worth the wait. This fourth book in Basham's Freddie & Grace mystery series is every bit as delightful as all the rest. Lady Astley might not be the most adept at demonstrating the manners of a well-bred lady, but she is quite adept at solving crimes, especially with the assistance of her husband. This time the crime is her brother-in-law's murder with her sister being a prime suspect. Things are complicated further by the clock's ticking on the discovery of a hidden treasure.

The Highland Heist is a lighthearted read. The protagonists' reliance on God is a testimony to the other characters as well as to the reader, yet the faith-based element is tastefully done and not heavy-handed. While it will work well as a stand-alone read, the book will be best enjoyed by reading the series in sequence.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Highland Heist from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. I highly recommend Pepper Basham's historical novels.