In the Spring of 1918, the Spanish flu epidemic spreads, killing millions of soldiers and civilians across the globe.  Overwhelmed by the constant flow of wounded soldiers coming from the French front, battlefield nurse Bess Crawford must now contend with hundreds of influenza patients as well.

However, war and disease are not the only killers to strike.  Bess discovers, concealed among the dead waiting for burial, the body of an officer who has been murdered.  Though she is devoted to all her patients, this soldier's death touches her deeply.  Not only did the man serve in her father's former regiment, he was also a family friend.

Before she can report the terrible news, Bess falls ill, the latest victim of the flu.  By the time she recovers, the murdered officer has been buried, and the only other person who saw the body has hanged himself.  Or did he?

Working her father's connections in the military, Bess begins to piece together what little evidence she can find to unmask the elusive killer and see justice served.  But she must be as vigilant as she is tenacious.  With a determined killer on her heels, each move Bess makes could be her last.

If you've read earlier books in the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd, An Unmarked Grave will feel very familiar to you.  It follows the formula established in the first three novels—the headstrong Bess encounters a dead body, then heads to England to investigate the murder, a process which involves poking her nose into secrets the families of the dead would rather keep buried.  Her digging, of course, makes her a popular target for killers of all stripes.  Yes, it's formulaic, but I'm still enjoying this series.  The capable, no-nonsense Bess makes a noble heroine, even if she isn't the warmest gal on the block.  Her escapades are intriguing without being lurid, which makes them clean, compelling reads.  I am getting a little irritated with Bess' stale personal life, however and would really like to see the dashing Simon Brandon make a move, already!  A little originality in plot would also be appreciated by this reader.  Overall, though, I'm entertained by this smart, sanitized series.     

Me and my husband at Cannon Beach, Oregon

So, you may—or may not—have noticed that I took a bit of a blogging hiatus.  It really was not an intentional break, but one that came about because my computer crapped out on me.  Thanks to Costco's superior customer service, I now have a brand spankin' new computer.  However, I'm still very, very behind on reviews, emails, blog upkeep, etc.  So, while I try to get all that in order, I'll bore entertain you with some vacation photos.

If you've read the oh, very fascinating About Me page that sits at the top of this blog, you know I hail from the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  You also know that my husband lured me away from its lush greenery, just to plunk me down in the middle of a flat, brown, scorching hot desert.  Not an easy thing for this Northwesterner.  Although I don't get back to the Motherland very often, I miss it a lot.  So, as part of our July 4th family vacation in Utah, we decided to take a little detour—to Oregon and Washington State.  It was a long drive, but worth it to see my family as well as some absolutely stunning scenery:

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

The view from my parents' deck—the gazebo is in Washington, the mountain (Mt. Hood) is across the Columbia River in Oregon.

The Bridge of the Gods—Cascade Locks, Oregon

My 10-year-old bookworm was thrilled to be able to turn the sign from  "Closed" to "Open."

Me, looking at books while my children do who-knows-what.

We liked all the fun quotes that hung throughout the store:


Well, I hope I've sufficiently distracted you from the fact that I haven't posted a new review in a while.  I'll get caught up soon, I promise.  In the meantime, enjoy the photos.  And, answer me this:  Where has this summer taken you?  Anywhere fun, exciting or breathtakingly beautiful?

Elaine and Carson Forsythe have returned to the tree house—Elaine's childhood home, a cabin nestled high in the branches of two oaks beside a North Carolina lake—where forty-nine-year-old Carson has chosen to spend the waning days of his life.  As Elaine prepares for a future without her beloved husband, their solace is interrupted.  Carson's mother, Greta, has set loose a neighbor's herd of alpaca and landed herself in police custody. While Carson, remarkably, sees humor in the situation, Elaine can only question what her obligations are—and will be—to a woman who hasn't spoken to her in more than twenty years.

In the wake of Carson's death, Elaine and their grown son, Mick, are thrust into the maelstrom of Greta, the mother-in-law and grandmother who never accepted either of them.  Just as they are trying to figure out their new roles in the family, Mick uncovers unexpected questions of his own.  A long-ago teenage relationship with a local girl may have left him with more than just memories, and he must get to the bottom of Greta's surprising accusations that he's not Carson's son at all.

Even with only the plot summary to go on, you can tell that Safe Within is one of those novels where the setting is as vividly portrayed as any of the characters.  Page's small, Southern town feels true-to-life, as do her story people.  Not all of them are pleasant to be around—in fact, some of them are downright depressing—but they definitely come alive for the reader.  My problem with the book has more to do with the plot, which seems to meander this way and that, without really going anywhere.  The subplots aren't any better; some feel tacked on (the whole racism thing), others (like the truth about Elaine and Wallace) are just kind of unimpressive.  Overall, Safe Within left me feeling ambivalent and a little disappointed.  I loved the novel's setting and really wanted the rest of the story to match it in originality and magic.  Bummer that it didn't.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of books by Dorothea Benton Frank and Anne Rivers Siddons)

Grade:  C

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  R for language and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Safe Within from the generous folks at Harper Collins via those at TLC Book Tours.  Thank you!