Nonna's Book of Mysteries by Mary Osborne

ISBN: 978-1-936181-162

$14.95

Lake Street Press

June 2010

A magical book about a resolute and courageous girl determined to follow her dreams despite the many obstacles in her path. 14 year old Emilia Serafini lives in Renaissance Florence. She dreams of becoming a painter, but there are no opportunities for this; only the expectation of being a dutiful daughter and wife.

A book of wisdom has been given to her by her mother, A Manual to the Science of Alchemy; a book passed down from her Nonna, Santina, her thrice great grandmother. She often turns to the book for guidance when she is troubled and seeks direction. One of the passages from the Manual that informs her actions is: “Achieving the desires of the heart and mastering of the physical world by persistent efforts are the noblest of endeavors”, which encourages her not to give up on her dreams.

She finds an apprenticeship with a newly arrived artist from Byzantium, the kindly but aged Makarios, and learns to paint in the Byzantine style. As an artist, Emilia is very talented, and her work gains notice. She begins to correspond with Giacomo, a fellow artist apprenticed to another master, who has sent him to work in Pisa.

She meets Franco Villani one day while reading the Manual at Makarios’ bottega. He is a wealthy man who desires only to get into the court of Cosimo Medici, and will do whatever he has to do to attain this goal. Villani realizes that her book would be quite valuable to Medici, and endeavors to get it however he can, even if it means courting Emilia to do so. But Emilia is an intelligent and perceptive girl, and, although flattered by Villani’s attentions, is suspicious. Villani becomes jealous when he discovers a newly returned Giacomo visiting Emilia at Markarios’ bottega.

When her book goes missing soon after her engagement to Villani, Emilia’s qualms increase. Villani leaves Florence for several months due to a business trip, but has his manservant Tomasso spy on her. While Villani is away, she innocently spends time with Giacomo, and their friendship deepens. Giacomo confronts Tomasso about following her, but is badly injured by a runaway horse the next day. Due to this attack and the suspicious loss of the book, Emilia breaks off her engagement with Villani when he returns, and soon thereafter is also almost ridden down by a man on horseback. Even though she only glimpses the man, she recognizes Villani. Things look bleak for Emilia, she is no longer engaged, and now is threatened by a powerful man. How will she be able to rectify the wrong done her? Will she ever be able to get the Manual for the Alchemy of Science back?

Emilia is an engaging character, resourceful, wise beyond her years and committed to achieving her “impossible” dream. Nonna’s Book of Mysteries is an absorbing and enjoyable read about the determination it takes to realize one’s dreams, the results of our choices, and the alchemical wisdom from a cherished book that helps a young girl follow her heart. This wonderful historical fiction book would be great for both young adults and adults interested in art, mystery and the magnificence of Florence during the Renaissance. This writer very much looks forward to Ms. Osborne’s next book, Alchemy’s Daughter.

Thereby Hangs a Tale by Spencer Quinn

Published by Atria Books

ISBN 10:  1416585850

ISBN 13:  978-1416585855

January 2010

309 pages

Canine Private Investigator Chet of the Little Detective Agency and his owner Bernie Little get involved in the dog eat dog world of dog shows in this humorous mystery.

Chet is the smart, loyal but goofy 100 pound mixed breed mutt we were first introduced to in Dog On It. Told totally from Chet’s very doggie point of view (“Bacon smells find me, every time!”); Chet is on the job, head up, eyes front, and alert.

Chet is the better investigator of the duo, despite his not being able to focus on long conversations, understand  odd figures of speech such as "crocodile tears", or the fact he’s easily distracted. It’s absolutely hilarious when he describes how a wind suddenly comes up, only to discover that it’s him wagging his tail! However, Chet, with his sensitive nose, is able to find clues that puny nosed Bernie would otherwise miss. And that nose does come in handy.

Hired to protect a pampered show dog named Princess; one of the favorites to win at the Great Western Dog Show, by Angelina Borghese, they are almost immediately fired after Chet enthusiastically steals a treat meant for Princess. However, mere minutes after they leave, their now former clients, Angelina and Princess, are kidnapped.  Hired by Angelina’s husband, Count Borghese, Bernie and Chet try to find them. A call from Bernie’s girlfriend, reporter Suzie, takes them to the ghost town of Clausen Wells, where Bernie and Chet are both knocked out.

Bernie is gone when Chet wakes, and he goes in search of him. But instead he finds a very frightened Princess, and they travel across the desert until they are taken in by two hippies. The hippies sell Chet to a large man, but he escapes, jumping a barbed wire fence into a restricted area. Found in a military target range, he is reunited with Bernie, (who was knocked out in a case of mistaken identity).

But now Suzie is missing as well, and Bernie is frantic. He interviews the owner of the other contender in the dog show, the trainer, the ex-trainer, but gets nowhere until they catch up to the RV with the two hippies, and Chet identifies them. Then Thurman, the man Chet was sold to, shows up. Assisted by some jaw action by Chet, Bernie arrests them all and finds Princess in the RV.

Bernie and Chet are out searching for clues in the desert one night, when Chet, following the scent of dog biscuits, starts digging a hole and unearths Suzie’s yellow Beetle with a dead Angelina Borghese in it.  But where is Suzie?

Together Chet and Bernie have to unravel a twisted plot between a corrupt sheriff, a resentful dog trainer and a poor but greedy member of the gentry before Suzie is killed. This fast paced, fun mystery will win over animal and dog lovers alike!  A great summer read.