The North-East of England

Worker, Julian. The North-East of England. (Travels through History). n.p.: Andrews UK Limited, 2019. [Print edition by AG Books, 2018]

Only a few sites in northeast England garner inclusion in this short work by Julian Worker. The author chronicled his own travel, including a few interesting facts about the sites visited. The publisher's website claims it is "the UK's leading independent publisher." The book needed extensive editing to cut down on "be" verb use, excessive words, and overuse of passive sentence constructions. I received an electronic copy through NetGalley with expectations of an honest review.

Singapore Sapphire

Stuart, A. M. Singapore Sapphire. New York: Berkley Prime Crime, 2019.

After losing her husband and son in India, Harriet Gordon works at a school in Singapore where her clergyman brother Julian serves as headmaster. She decides to offer stenography services to provide income. She discovers her client Oswald Newbold's murdered body. Harriet's skills impress Inspector Curran. A clue VOC, which most people consider the old East India Company, surfaces. Inspector Curran and Harriet both know it must bear a different meaning. As the investigation begins to focus on the victim's past, multiple suspects emerge.1910 Singapore offers an interesting setting. I read an advance review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Healing Jar

Brunstetter, Wanda E. The Healing Jar. Uhrichsville, Ohio: Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, 2019.

When Jesse and his young daughter move to their community, Lenore falls in love with the motherless child. She gets her chance at love, but will Jesse be able to move past his love for his first wife to give Cindy the mother she needs? Threads of the story focus on Sara's pursuit of finding her biological father and Michelle's move with husband Ezekiel to New York. I haven't read the earlier books in this series, but I feel certain they provide additional insights into the characters backstories. While the writing style needs improvement, the story itself is enjoyable and should resound with fans of the Amish fiction genre. Discussion questions at the end provide good fodder for book discussion groups in churches. I received an advance review copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.