The Child Finder

By Rene Denfeld

Naomi knows all about lost children; after all, she has been lost her whole life. Known as the Child Finder to police and to a handful of parents, Naomi specializes in locating missing children. As a child, Naomi herself was found running in a strawberry field with no recollection of who she was or where she came from. Though raised in a loving foster home, Naomi’s few memories of her past life still haunt her: the whisper of a bedtime lullaby, the enduring nightmares, the hint of a small hand in hers, a child calling “Mother!” For Naomi, home has never been a place; without knowing what she lost so many years before, Naomi can only hold “home” as a place within herself. 

Now, Naomi connects other missing children to their seeking families. When five-year old Madison Culver disappears in the deep, snowy Skookum woods, her parents have little reason to hope that she is alive. Still, they seek out Naomi’s assistance, knowing that the Child Finder can locate even those with minimal hope of being found. With nothing to keep her tethered, well, anywhere, Naomi heads for the isolated town high in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Though Madison’s case holds little promise of a positive outcome, Naomi is determined to find answers. After all, everyone deserves to be found. 

This gripping tale keeps the reader on the edge of their seat while still evoking empathy for even the most villainous of characters. The Child Finder leaves no stone unturned and no mystery unresolved, resulting in a reader that feels at once satisfied, heartbroken, elated, comforted and with a new understanding of what it means to find one’s self when one has been lost. I loved this book for its clear description, the relatability of the characters and the surprise – though somehow not unexpected ending that ties the whole story up in one neat package. Perfect for the mystery-lovers, the thrill-seekers, and those looking to see a bit of themselves in every character.

The Accidental Veterinarian: Tales from a Pet Practice

accidental veterinarian

by Philipp Schott DVM

In search of a funny book to escape from these stressful covid times, I discovered the eBook The Accidental Veterinarian: Tales from a Pet Practice. The adorable French Bull Dog on the cover snagged my attention. She/he looks like my friend’s floppy puppy Libby who has the charmed life of a British royal and brings a smile to everyone she meets. Animal lovers know the loving power of pets. 

Dr. Schott is a seasoned animal vet practicing in Manitoba who shares the funny, complicated, sometimes heart-wrenching, and always entertaining scenarios that come with caring for pets and soothing their owners. The laughs quickly begin when he shares the unlikely reasons he chose his animal career and the octopus powers required. His friendly chatty style reads as if he’s talking to you in his backyard on a Sunday afternoon. The laughs continue and he gets full points for his descriptions such as chihuahuas looking like a baked potato with four toothpicks stuck in for legs and an angry walnut for a head. (Not to judge chihuahuas.) 

Schott also sets us straight that along with the love for animals, an equally vital ingredient for becoming a vet is a love for people. Among the plenty of laughs about the wide landscape of pet names and mysterious ailments of fluffy kitties and wicked wild rabbits, Schott’s heart is moved by pet owners. The stories of their willingness to move heaven and earth for their pet’s good health will warm your soul. 

Pet owners will appreciate the professional secrets for getting your furry beloved to swallow medicine, the truth behind dog and cat paranoia, the power of regular check-ups, the reasons cats purr, and how to help your vet to help your pet. 

Warning for those with extra tender hearts: there are a few serious pages divulging the down-side of being a vet. You may wish to skip the chapters “Black Coat” and “When Darkness Overcomes”. 

If you need a fun book (with short chapters) to help you to get through these topsy-turvy times, this is a book for you.

Winter in Paradise

by Elin Hilderbrand


Irene and Russel Steele live a very comfortable life in Iowa. Russel’s job takes him away from home much of the time, but Irene doesn’t mind because he earns plenty of money so she doesn’t have to worry. She spends her time renovating their Victorian home and she never doubts his love for her as he shows it in extreme, sky writing kinds of ways. Although their life is undergoing some changes, their adult sons, Cash and Baker, don’t seem to need their mother anymore, the magazine at which Irene has been editor is pushing her to retire, their life, at least on the outside is idyllic.


This seemingly perfect life takes an odd turn when Irene gets a call to say that her husband has been killed in a helicopter crash on the island of St. John in the Caribbean. Irene was not even aware that Russ was in the Caribbean. She flies down to get things sorted to find that not only has someone already identified Russel’s body and sent it for cremation, but also that Russel had a huge villa and a second family on the island. These events begin Irene’s Winter in Paradise as she, Cash and Baker (each with secrets of their own), try to determine the truth about the life their husband and father has been living.


This is the first book in Hilderbrand’s new trilogy and the first book of hers that I’ve read. It appealed to me as a lighter read in these heavy times and was not disappointed. The story is a good combination of intrigue, romance and tension in a Caribbean setting.


The second book, What Happens in Paradise is just as intriguing and fortunately has been available since October 2019. Be aware that book three of the trilogy does not come out until the end of 2020 and each of the novels ends with a real cliffhanger. I have enjoyed the series so far and will definitely be looking for the third one as soon as it is available. The books are good if you are looking for a distraction that includes a little escape to a Caribbean Island from within your living room.

The Zig Zag Gi

By Elly Griffiths

Edgar Stephens, an inspector in Brighton, is a rather boring man. He has nothing going on in his life, he gets no respect from his underlings at work, his family is distant, his friends have all moved on with their lives… All he has is his unusual skill at solving crosswords and an exciting past as a special operative with The Magic Men during the war. That is, until a horrible parcel is delivered to the station addressed to him. A woman has been cut into three pieces in the same way that the famous magic trick, the Zig Zag Girl, would have been if the trick failed.  This is the first casualty of the magic trick murderer! As the bodies pile up, it seems that Edgar and his intriguing past just might be at the centre of this murder spree.  Will Edgar be able to find the killer before it’s too late?

This murder mystery set in the 1950s has a lot of charm. While I would not say that it is nearly as clever as some of Agatha Christie’s brilliant creations, it does hit many similar notes and tones to the famous author’s style. What made this book particularly unique was the centre around magicians and the dying variety show entertainment circuit. I loved the references to the old glamour of live theatre and the skepticism and distrust of the ‘tackiness’ of early television. 

As Edgar investigates, we get to meet all his colleagues from the war. These supporting characters really bring the story to life. Max Mephisto, Edgar’s best friend, is a successful magician at the decline of his career. Full of Mediterranean charm and sarcastic humour, he really plays well off of Edgar’s bland persona. Mix in a stodgy military captain, a hilarious 80 year old trickster magician Diablo, and a charming young girl with a secret, Ruby, and you have a fun crew to escort you through a light murder mystery!