RECENT READING: ADVENTURE AND SUSPENSE
ADRIFT IN THE PACIFIC
Maurice and Maralyn: An Extraordinary True Story of Shipwreck, Survival and Love by Sophie Elmhirst
Maurice Bailey was a quiet Englishman, a print setter, awkward, insecure, and uncomfortable around other people. He lived alone, wanted to escape his dowdy village, and never expected to marry. Nine years younger, Maralyn was confident and assertive. Maurice substituted with a friend to attend a car rally with Maralyn, and to his surprise, she enjoyed his company. They married and then started saving and planning to build a boat to take them far away from England, as far away as New Zealand.
Maurice and Maralyn, a small gem, is the story of their fateful voyage. They loved their little boat, but a collision with a whale caused it to sink. That left them adrift in the Pacific with just a raft and a dinghy and each other. Maurice without Maralyn’s bolstering attitude would never have survived; Maralyn was purposeful, always with a goal, but she needed him also. Awaiting rescue and watching the few passing ships not see them, they managed to forage and eat and survive. It was a lengthy endurance test for their marriage and their lives. Recommended for readers looking for harrowing and poignant adventure!
HOT THRILLER
Seeing Red by Sandra Brown
Sandra Brown is an author I had not previously read until a friend loaned me one of her books. She’s written numerous romantic thrillers, and Seeing Red is good escapism with a bit of steamy sex tossed in.
Texas TV broadcaster Kerra Bailey is thrilled to have finally finagled an interview with retired Major Trapper. A local hero for his role in successfully saving people from a horrendous warehouse blast, the major has avoided the press for many years. When he is shot in his own home after the interview and Kerra must flee for her life, she becomes entangled with the major’s estranged son John.
John Trapper is now a private detective. He left his job working for the Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms bureau under duress after he asked too many seemingly crazy questions about that earlier blast. Together Kerra and John become targets, while he remains obsessed with solving the old mystery of who set the blast. Traps and lies and secrets abound as it’s unclear who can be trusted. The plot details are not always convincing, but I still found this mostly fast paced novel a good read!
DINING OUT: JAPANESE FUSION
Zest Sushi & Small Plates
As a treat to ourselves, we headed downtown for lunch at Zest, a relatively new restaurant on Chatham Street. It’s on a corner in an expansive space with lots of glass and a very open feeling. The menu is huge, and everyone should be able to find something to order, whether a lover of sushi or just curious to explore new tastes. There are sushi rolls galore, both classic and specialty ones, along with seafood in various forms (bowls, towers, chilled), lots of oyster preparations, entrees from shaking beef to green coconut curry, and lunchtime bento boxes.
The service was friendly and very welcoming. The Chief Penguin ordered fried calamari (we love fried calamari, and every restaurant seems to add its own twist), and theirs had a bit of heat from the Japanese spice blend, togarshi. He followed that with Screaming “o”, a sushi roll with spicy tuna, seared tuna, and tempura shrimp. I sampled the shrimp tempura Bento box.
The box was lovely and delicious; everything was very fresh, and I got to try tidbits of spring roll, California roll, and pork dumplings along with the shrimp and a ginger salad.
With the many menu choices, you could eat here for weeks before sampling everything! There are also daily specials such as Two for Tuesday (specialty rolls) and Sake Sundays. We will be back.
TEASER
Watch for more next week on a new exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Note: Unattributed photos including header photo, Blazing March Sunrise, ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
