Weekend picks for book lovers
What should you read this weekend? Paste BN’s picks for book lovers include Robert Harris' new Vatican thriller, Conclave, and several little Christmas titles.
Conclave by Robert Harris; Knopf, 286 pp.; fiction
Just three years ago, the eyes of the world were glued to the Vatican, watching for the telltale white smoke that would herald a new pope.
Now, British novelist Robert Harris has cracked open the doors of the Sistine Chapel to imagine the mysterious, secretive process of elevating one man to near godliness. (What better setting for a locked-door mystery?)
As Conclave opens, the pope has died. Cardinal Lomeli, the novel’s central character, is dean of the College of Cardinals, which means he must oversee the cardinals’ vote for a new pope.
Divisions and tensions quickly surface between traditionalists and the more liberal wing of the church hierarchy. The immediate front-runner is Cardinal Adeyemi of Nigeria, who would be the first black pope. But we wouldn’t have much of a thriller if it were that easy.
Paste BN says *** out of four stars. “Quietly pulsates with intrigue. ... Harris’ clever plot machinations slowly draw you in.”
The Mistletoe Murder and Other Stories; by P.D. James, Knopf, 152 pp.; fiction
A posthumous collection of four short stories set around Christmas, two of which feature James' popular character, Adam Dalgliesh of New Scotland Yard.
Paste BN says ***½ stars. “Mystery lovers are in for a very merry time.”
Pretty Paper: A Christmas Tale by Willie Nelson with David Ritz; Blue Rider Press, 283 pp.; fiction
Country singer Willie Nelson imagines the story behind the real-life inspiration for his song Pretty Paper, a legless man he saw in 1960s Texas selling Christmas wrapping and “pretty pencils to write ‘I love you.’ ”
Paste BN says ***½ stars. “A sweet, sad country song of a Christmas tale.”
The Mistletoe Secret by Richard Paul Evans; Simon & Schuster, 320 pp.; fiction
Alex Bartlett, a Florida man still stinging from a recent divorce, goes to snowy small-town Utah to track down a blogger whose lonely online missives have captured his attention.
Paste BN says ***½ stars. “Three things you can always count on: death, taxes and a predictable Richard Paul Evans holiday love story to warm the heart.”
Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin; Simon & Schuster, 368 pp.; non-fiction
Historical account of a B-17 bomber — known as Old 666 — and a courageous flight during World War II to shoot pre-invasion photos of Bougainville, a Japanese-held island near Australia.
Paste BN says ***½ stars. “Fast-paced … a story that history aficionados will find irresistible.”
Contributing reviewers: Jocelyn McClurg, Mary Cadden, Brian Truitt, George Petras